Unexpected Reality
by TC2
Summary: Buffy gets thrown into an alternate reality. With the help of her friends in this new world she's trying to get back home, but there are obstacles in her way. Like a Vamp Buffy in this reality. Also who are these mysterious men that keep popping up?
1. Default Chapter

Title:)Unexpected Reality  
Disclaimer:The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to   
Joss/UPN/Fox etc...I am just writing a story for fun.  
Distribution:I do not care if you use it.  
Summary:Buffy gets thrown into an alternate reality where she's dead. A B/X fic.  
Setting:Season 2 takes place a couple of weeks after passion.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: A walk through the park.  
  
  
  
{Sunnydale at night is not a place you want to be with the demons, vampires, hellmouth etc...} Thought Buffy as she walked along the sidewalk heading to the Bronze (The only cool hang out in town) to meet her friends Willow and Xander who pratically begged her to come. She only hoped she didn't run into any trouble tonight because she was too depressed tonight to fight. Every since her Angel's demon had been awoken and killed people close to her and her friends she didn't feel like doing much at all.   
  
She was thinking of the first time she met Angel in the alley, him being all-cryptic and giving her the cross she now wore around her ne.... She was broken out of her thoughts by a light shining thru Weatherly park across the street and started towards it.  
  
  
"Wow! Its beautiful." Said Cordelia as Xander handed her a heart shaped locket with two pictures in it [one of him and the other of Cordelia in it].  
  
"Well, I saw it and I thought you would like it...besides if you don't like the picture of you in there I thought maybe you could put another picture of me in there." Xander said grinning.  
  
"Please, I look good in this picture, besides I think one picture of you is enough." Cordelia looked at him waiting for a comeback, but saw his eyes roaming all over the Bronze as if he were looking for someone.  
  
"Are you even listening to me?" She said annoyed.  
  
"Huh-Wha-I mean yeah, I was just looking for Buffy...she was supposed to meet us here. I hope she didn't run into any trouble."  
  
{That figures here he gives me a romantic gift and he is still thinking about Buffy the super freak} "Xander she can take care of herself she doesn't need you to protect her."  
  
  
........Buffy is fighting a yellowish demon with three eyes(or what looked to be three, one on his forehead seamed to glow) while a pool of swirling light was open ten feet from Buffy, flowing like a tunnel inward. Buffy figured the demon must had came thru it.  
  
"Slayer!" the demon hissed "Leave now or meet your doom."  
  
Buffy in fighting stance (her hair blowing from the wind of the tunnel) "I think its time you go back where you came from." Buffy said glancing over her shoulder trying not to get any closer to the tunnel than she already was.  
  
"My pleasure." the demon said before charging Buffy and knocking them both into the tunnel.  
  
Buffy felt her head spin as if she were on a roller coaster, but with less fun. Her head starting to get clearer like a fog lifting, just in time to see the demon running away.  
  
{Great, now I want to fight and the thing runs away} She was about to chase after, but by the time she got to her feet and caught her breath it was gone.   
  
{Looks like the Bronze will have to wait} "Time to go see Giles." she mumbled heading to the school.  
  
Buffy went to the front of the school, but the doors were locked so she made her way to the stacks entrance at the back of the library. Trying the door she found it to be unlocked {at least something is going my way} she thought. Going inside and making her way through the stacks she heard voices. She figured Giles would be here, but was surprised to see Xander,Willow and Oz when she came out of the stacks, with nobody noticing her, Xander was talking about two vampires who attacked them, but he stopped talking seeing Giles' attention elsewhere.  
  
"My God." To Giles' mumble everyone turned to see Buffy.  
  
Walking down the stairs Buffy looked at Giles "Whats wrong Giles, you look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"Bu-Buffy" Xander said starting to walk slowly towards her only to have Oz grab a hold of him "Careful Xander."  
  
"I thought you were going to meet me at the Bronze." buffy said looking at Willow and Xander for a response, but then inturrepted them before they could respond "Careful, what do you mean careful"? she said looking at Oz.  
  
Willow looking at Giles "Giles what's happening? H-How is this possible?"  
  
"I-I don't know she couldn't be..sh-she was dead." he said looking at Buffy.  
  
{Now their talking about me like I'm not even here this is..wait a minute did Giles just say dead}.  
==================================================== 


	2. Who called the meeting?

Chapter 2: Who called the meeting?  
  
  
  
After Giles and the others seeing she was not a vampire (since she wore the cross Angel gave her around her neck) they seemed to accept Buffy was well...Buffy. She was about to tell them about the demon in the park when Giles inturrepted her.  
  
"Buffy how did you get here...I mean h-how did you..you were dead."  
  
"Would you quit saying that! I'm right here I'm not dead." Buffy said as everyone eyed her cautiously.  
  
"Buffy we...I saw you die." Xander, who now spoke for the first time since he had seen her arrive, said.  
  
"Okay rewind, first I go to the Bronze to meet you two." she says looking at Willow and Xander before continuing, "On the way to the Bronze I see this pool of light in the park, I fight this demon, come to see you." she says looking at Giles, "And to my surprise everyone is here and telling me I'm dead."  
  
Willow spoke up first "Meet you at the Bron... but was inturrepted by Giles "A pool of what"?  
  
"Light, a big swirling light...looked like a tunnel or something when the demon knocked me or rather us into it."  
  
"Wait a minute the demon knocked you into this light?"  
  
Buffy looking back at Giles "Yeah, but no worry I'm fine only a slight headache".  
  
"A-And this demon, what did he look like?" Giles asked removing his glasses from the bridge of his nose.  
  
Buffy shrugged "Your typical yellowish demon, ugly, three eyes."  
  
Giles seemed to go on alert after she described the demon "Three eyes, one on his forehead that glows?"  
  
  
Buffy looking surprised "Yeah, how did you know?"  
  
"Because, that is what killed you-ahh-Buffy and nearly killed Xander." Giles said.  
  
"Giles I'm right here...yes me and the demon fought, but he got away and I'm fine, besides Xander was here with you." Buffy said looking back and forth between Giles and Xander (the ladder seeming to look down when she looked at him).  
  
"Buffy this tunnel you talked about, was it blue?" Giles asked while going into his office.  
  
"Yeah, Why?" she asked.  
  
Giles coming out of his office with a book of somekind, scimming through it and when finding what he was looking for handed the book to Buffy. "Is that the demon?"  
  
To his question she looked on the page "Yep thats him, three eyes and all."  
  
Giles seemed uneasy and was acting as if he was holding something back.  
  
"Giles spill! This is no time to hold back on me." she said.  
  
Giles looking at her, knowing what he was about to say would hurt Willow and Xander just as much as it hurt him when he figured it out himself.  
  
"Buffy I-I think you should sit down for this." After she and the others sat down at the table he continued, "Buffy I think when you were knocked into that tunnel of light as you called it, you   
were thrown into another reality, ou-our reality." He said.  
  
"Okay Brain overload, what do you mean YOUR reality?"  
  
Giles looking at the group, who all looked like they had questions, "Well about two weeks before Buffy...Our Buffy (Hearing him say our Buffy creeped Buffy out and it seemed to unsettle Xander   
too) was killed she told me about a demon she fought with three eyes, and how it opened this blue light out of nowhere and dissapeared into it. The night she was..." He trailed off for a minute before continuing, "She told me she was going to go on patrol with Xander and said she would report anything she found the next day. About one in the morning I got a phone call at my house and it was the hospital. They said they had a teenage boy who was asking for me by name. When   
I got there Xander was badly beaten and told me about the demon attacking them and it killing Buffy."  
  
Buffy not knowing what to think or say, could see Willow and Oz taking it all in stride, but Xander seemed to be in another place, almost as if he was reliving it.  
  
"Well-uh-If this is not my reality then how do I get back to my reality?" Buffy said looking at Giles.  
  
"Well I-I need to research more on that, but this demon seems to have the ability to open portals between alternate realities, but only on the night of the full moon so we should have awhile to prepare before the next full moon."  
  
Buffy looking at Giles "Why only on the full moo..then she cut herself off and screamed "Oz!" To which everyone jumped, alarmed by her sudden outburst.  
  
"What about me?" Oz asked.  
  
"Why aren't you tied up or in the cage?" To her question everyone looked at her like she had two heads.  
  
To this Xander finally commented "Why, is that a fantasy of yours?" he said grinning.  
  
She threw the book that Giles had given her at Xander, hitting him right in the stomach to which he grunted and rubbed where the book hit him and said, "It sure does feel like my-ou-our Buffy."  
  
She ignored his comment and looked at Oz "You mean you're not a werewolf?"  
  
Oz just shook his head and replied a simple "No."  
  
Willow now spoke up "In your reality Oz is a werewolf?"  
  
Buffy replied "Only three nights a month."  
  
Hearing this Giles said "Interesting, how...(but he was inturrepted by Buffy) "Giles I know you love talking about this kind of stuff, but I'm beat I need some...(Giles finished for her)"Rest..yes, I think we all could use some rest its been a long day we'll continue   
this in the morning."  
  
Getting up Buffy said "Right, well as soon as I get home I'm...(Giles inturrepting her again) "Buffy I-I'm afraid you can't go home, your mother thinks your dead..I-I mean her Buffy is dead it would be too much for her to handle, she would have too many questions."  
  
"Oh..where...then where I'm I going to sleep?" she said looking at Giles who was about to answer when Xander cut him off "You could crash at my house."  
  
Nobody seemed taken back by Xander's offer except Buffy who said, "O-Okay."  
==================================== 


	3. Hotel Harris

Chapter 3: Hotel Harris  
  
  
  
Scene:Buffy and Xander walking to his house  
  
  
Neither one had said much to each other since they left the library, until Xander spoke up "So, what I'm I like in your reality?"  
  
Buffy was surprised by his question "Ahh-w-well you're Xander." she said.  
  
"Well, its good to know I'm still Xander in your reality." he said smiling.  
  
Buffy looked at him smiling then said "Well what was I like in your rea.....(and caught herself when she saw Xander look away) "Oh, Xander I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up....{OH way to put your foot in your mouth Summers.}  
  
"A-Are we friends in your reality?" he asked after a few moments had past.  
  
"Yeah, we're...(but she didn't finish when her slayer senses went on alert).  
  
To her tensing up Xander removed a cross and a stake from his pocket. "What is it, trouble?" he asked looking around.  
  
"I don't know, but I get the feeling we're being watched." Buffy said looking around.  
  
After a few moments the sensation went away. "I don't know maybe I'm a little tense." she said easing up a bit.  
  
"I guess going to alternate realities does that to people." Xander said putting the stake and cross back in his pocket.  
  
They walked quitely until they reached Xander's house. "Are you sure you're parents don't mind me staying over?" Buffy asked, walking up the stairs to his porch.  
  
"Buffy my parents wouldn't care if I brought home a vampire." he said a little sadly.  
  
{Boy even in an alternate reality Xander's parents don't seem to care that much about him} Buffy thought as Xander opened the front door and they entered closing the door behind them.  
  
...............  
  
Across the street the vampire watched them enter the house, turning and walking away the vampire said to itself "Spike will want to know about this."  
  
...............  
  
Scene:Xander's bedroom  
  
  
As Buffy walked into Xander's bedroom she expected to find a messy room, according to Willow's account of Xander's bedroom, but was surprised to find his room was cleaner than her room was.  
  
Xander walking in his bedroom carrying some blankets and pillows, "Welcome to the Harris room may your stay be pleasant." he said.  
  
Buffy started to take the blankets and pillows from him, when he took a step back "These are mine." he said nodding towards his bed "You can take the bed." he said putting the blankets down and leaving the room.  
  
Buffy felt ackward standing in Xander's bedroom, not knowing what to do she sat on his bed and out of the corner of her eye saw a picture on the nightstand of her and Xander smiling. When she picked up the picture something fell from behind it. Bending over to pick it up she saw that it was another picture of them together, but in this one she was in Xander's lap smiling at him.  
  
Walking back into the room with a glass of water Xander stopped when he saw Buffy holding the picture of them together. Clearing his throat he said "I-I thought maybe you would like some water."  
  
To his voice Buffy almost dropped the picture "Ahh-Okay, thanks." she said putting the picture back on the nightstand and taking the glass of water from him.  
  
Buffy feeling very ackward now and Xander who was ackward too. "Well, I....They both said at the same time and then both smiling looking down, "You first." Xander said looking back up.  
  
"I was just going to say we should get to bed." Hearing what she just said she corrected herself, "I-I mean Uh-I'm tired." she said.  
  
"Yeah." Xander said looking as ackward as she was. Then starting to catch his bearings he started making his bed on the floor.  
  
Buffy put the glass of water on the nightstand and got under the covers of Xander's bed while Xander got into his bed on the floor. She was slowly falling asleep when Xander said "B-Buffy I was wondering...."  
  
"Yeah, Xander?"   
  
"Uhh-nothing, Goodnight Buffy."  
  
"Goodnight Xander." she said falling asleep.  
  
.................  
  
  
"The slayer can't be alive. Three eyes told me he killed her!" Spike said as he confronted the vampire who followed Buffy and Xander.  
  
"Its true. I saw her with my own two eyes." the vampire said defending himself to Spike.  
  
"Damnit! I can't win, this slayer won't die!" Spike said waving his hands in the air and pacing around the floor.  
  
"Spikey babie don't worry, mummys here" Drusilla said walking out of the shadows.  
  
"What is it pet?" Spike replied looking at her.  
  
With her hands to her head Drusilla walked by Spike "This is a new slayer." she said in a low whisper.  
  
"A new slayer? Love I told you not to eat homeless men after midnight." Spike said with concern towards Drusilla.  
  
Spike walking up to the vampire that saw Buffy "I don't care if she has a twin sister kill her!" he growled murphing into his vampire face "Or I will kill you, fair enough mate?"  
  
..........................  
  
  
Scene:The next morning at Xander's house  
  
  
Xander is just waking up when he hears Buffy mumbling in her sleep.  
  
  
(IN BUFFY'S DREAM)  
  
  
Angelus has Willow by the throat looking at Buffy. "Angel there has   
to be some part of you still in there." she said looking at him.  
  
"Dream on school girl your boyfriend is *Dead*." he replied.  
  
  
(Back in Reality)  
  
  
"No..No..Nooo." Buffy is saying in her sleep.  
  
Xander walked up to her trying to wake her "Buffy, Buffy!" he said shaking her awake.  
  
"No-Angel!" she said waking up to Xander shaking her.  
  
"Buffy are you alrigh....(he was cut off by Buffy hugging him tightly.)  
  
"Not that I mind, but help!" he choked out of breath.  
  
"Oh-S-Sorry." she said untighting her grip on him.  
  
"Buffy are you alright?" he asked cupping his hands under her chin. "An-Angel? You mean the vampire?" he asked confused.  
  
She was about to open her mouth when Xander's phone rang, startling her. Xander answering the phone "Yeah, we're on our way." Xander said hagging up.  
  
"That was Giles, he wants us at the library" Xander said looking at Buffy.  
=============================================== 


	4. Oops, sorry Angel.

Chapter 4: Oops, sorry Angel  
  
  
  
Buffy and Xander was just about to walk into the library when the doors came flying open, just about knocking Buffy over. Out came Cordelia, "Watch where you're going freaks!" she said walking past them both.  
  
"Please make my day and tell me there's no Cordelia in your reality." Xander said walking into the library with Buffy beside him.  
  
Buffy broke a small smile "Well actually you two are...(but she was cut off by Giles) "AH, you're here." he said looking at Xander and Buffy from behind the counter.  
  
Giles was still getting use to seeing Buffy again after just starting to come to the fact that she was dead, but then again so are the others he thought coming out of the office door as Buffy and Xander took a seat at the table.  
  
"Where's Willow and Oz?" To Buffy's question the library doors opened as Willow and Oz came in holding hands smiling at everybody in the room.  
  
"Hey Buffy." Willow said waving slowly at Buffy like she was scared of her. Oz just nodded at her taking a seat next to Willow at the table.  
  
"S-So Buffy how did you sleep?" Giles asked looking at her.  
  
Buffy was about to answer when Xander cut in "She was tossing and turning when I woke up. I think she was having a nightmare." he said with concern looking at Giles.  
  
Giles looking at Buffy with questioning eyes "What did you dream about Buffy?"  
  
"Ah-nothing special." she said not wanting to explain the whole Angel thing with them.  
  
"I think she was dreaming about Angel." Xander said ignoring Buffy's glare at him.  
  
"Angel th-the vampire?" Giles stuttered looking at Buffy.  
  
Buffy thought she was saved by the library doors opening until Ms. Calender walked in "Hey, Rupert I was ju...(she stopped where she stood when she saw Buffy) "Buffy!" she said almost yelling it.  
  
Giles taking his glasses off "Yes uh-well you see...this is Buffy, but...its n-not Buffy." Giles stuttered out.  
  
"OH...What?" Ms. Calender said looking even more confused.  
  
Giles cleaning his glasses nervously "Well you see she is from ah-ah..alternate reality." he said putting his glasses back on.  
  
Buffy was still getting over seeing Ms. Calender. She was starring at Ms. Calender almost as wide eyed as Ms. Calender was staring at her.  
  
"Ah-Jenny I'll fill you in later." Giles said looking at Ms. Calender.  
  
"O-Okay Rupert, you better." she said smiling at him, then looking at Buffy "Ah-Nice to have you...back." she said turning and leaving through the library doors.  
  
Giles turned towards Buffy and was about to say something, but was beaten by Buffy "Giles where's Angel?" she asked, then realising what she said "Ah-I mean....(But she trailed off knowing she couldn't take the words back.)  
  
"Buffy your in an alternate reality and all your asking is where's Angel." Xander said questioning her.  
  
{Great} Buffy thought "Guys I don't want to get into this right n..."Angel's dead Buffy." Giles said inturrepting her.  
  
To Giles' words Buffy looked like she was about to cry. Giles continued "Buffy you...I-I mean this reality's Buffy killed him when he bit you're...I mean her mother." he said looking at Buffy.  
  
Buffy was about to start sobbing, but she regained her composure. "But Giles in my reality Darla bit my mother, not Angel." she said looking at him.  
  
"Darla?" Giles asked confused.  
  
.................  
  
  
The Scene: The factory  
  
  
"Look who I found love." Spike said walking towards her with somebody   
behind him.  
  
"Mummy!" Drusilla said with a evil grin.  
  
"Hello Dru, long time no see." Darla said grinning.  
====================================================== 


	5. Them again?

Chapter 5: Them again?  
  
  
  
Scene:The Library  
  
  
Buffy had just got through telling Giles and the others that Darla was the vamp that made Angel and that she was the one that attacked her mother.  
  
"B-But you-I mean Buffy-this reality's Buffy told us she saw Angel holding her mother when she walked in on him in his full vampire face." Xander said looking at Buffy.  
  
"Yeah, but when I went to kill him in the Bronze he told me that he didn't feed on her. Thats when Darla came in sporting guns like John Wayne..or-or an evil John Wayne." Buffy said frowning at her use of an on screen hero, then recovered "Angel staked her." she said looking at Giles.  
  
"Who's John Wayne?" Xander asked confused.  
  
"Yes..well I believe our first priority is to research this demon's weak points and help send you back to your reality." Giles said walking into his office leaving the others waiting for him to come back, after a few seconds Buffy got impatient.  
  
Clearing her throat rather loudly "Giles, earth to Giles." she said trying to crane her neck to see into his office from where she sat.  
  
Giles coming to his office door "Yes?..Oh-ah I need some time to research..you all can meet me back here after classes." he said starting to turn around, but stopped when Buffy spoke.  
  
"What about me?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I mean if Buffy shows up to class don't you think that would be wierd?" Willow asked, then seeing the hurt expression from Buffy she added "Well-I mean since she is suppose to be dead."  
  
"Oh-yes..maybe you should stay here and help me research." Giles said looking at Buffy.  
  
Buffy nodded and said bye to the others as they admitted defeat and went to class.  
  
.....................  
  
  
Scene:The Factory  
  
  
Drusilla is in Spike's lap while Darla circles the room looking at the dozen vampires Spike has in his service.  
  
"This is all you have?" Darla asked looking at the vampires in the room and then to Spike and Drusilla.  
  
"Most of them have left town since hearing the slayers' alive." Spike said to Darla.   
  
"The slayer's dead." said the three eyed demon walking out of the shadows.  
  
Spike looked annoyed as Drusilla got off his lap. Spike looking at the dozen vamps pledged to him "Fools aren't you suppose to be guarding the building!" he said angrily, then turned to the   
demon "Well, three eyes it seems you screwed up." Spike said approaching the demon.  
  
"I didn't screw up. I killed the slayer." the demon said walking past Spike "This slayer is from an alternate reality." he said turning back around to face Spike.  
  
"Alternate what?" Spike asked confused.  
  
Drusilla walked up to Spike with her finger to her lips "Shhh..he has a secret." she whispered looking at the demon.  
  
To this Spike looked at the demon "Well?"  
  
(The demon hated working with vampires, but he is from the Order of Turaka and since Spike had called for their services he had came) "This slayer is from an alternate reality." the demon said again.  
  
"And you *BROUGHT* her here?" Spike asked angrily.  
  
"I'll take care of this slayer." Darla said walking up to the demon (talking for the first time since the demon had arrived) "Think of it as a present to my children." she said grinning towards Drusilla and Spike.  
  
...........................  
  
  
It was in the middle of the day and classes where mostly over. All Xander had left was history so he skipped it, deciding to go to the library instead. {Besides, where can I learn more about history than from Giles and his books...Okay maybe Demon history, but at least it is history.) he thought as he pushed through the library doors to see Buffy in a chair at the table.  
  
Xander sat down in a chair across from Buffy. Buffy looking at the clock on the wall and then at Xander "Don't you have another class?" she asked him.  
  
"Lets see, listening to a boring history teacher or coming to spend time with you." he said motioning his hands up and down as if weighing his options.  
  
"I-I appreciate that Xander, but I don't want you failing history because of me."   
  
"Buffy I won't be failing history because of you, I'll fail because I'm not good at history." he said "Besides, I haven't spent time with you since... (he trailed off looking down.)  
  
Buffy never thought she would be more happy to see Giles than when he came out of his office looking at a book (until he spoke that is) "I-I think we've got a problem." he continued after looking up and acknowledging Xander being there, "It would seem your demon friend is from the Order of Turaka." he said looking at Buffy.  
  
"Them again?" Buffy asked annoyed.  
  
To Buffy's response Giles was taken back. Buffy seeing his expression "We ran into them in my reality." she said, then seeing Giles about to ask her all sorts of questions she cut him off "Giles not now. Right now all I want is to find a way to get back to my reality and fast."  
  
"Yes...well, it seems the only way for you to get back to your reality would be to wait for this demon to open the portal again so you can go through it, but that won't be for another twenty nine days, since it seems he can only open the portal on a full moon." Giles said looking at Buffy who slumped down in her chair.  
  
"Do you want me to patrol tonight?" Xander asked looking at Giles.  
  
To Xander's question Buffy looked surprised "You patrol?" she asked looking at Xander for an answer, but Giles was the one who answered "Yes...well, he does his best." Giles said getting a hurt expression from Xander and then looking at Buffy "Do you mind patroling with him?"  
  
(This caught Buffy offguard because she wasn't used to Giles ASKING her to patrol) "Ah-Sure." she said, then slightly smiling before getting up and adding "Besides I've always wanted to see this town in an alternate reality."   
=========================================================== 


	6. Did I say that?

Chapter 6: Did I say that?  
  
  
  
Since Xander left saying he would meet her back at the library before dark, Buffy waited patiently for Willow to come to the library after school. She got the feeling Willow was avoiding her, which in a way she could understand. {Seeing your friend who was suppose to be dead,   
and is from an alternate reality would give anyone the wiggins} Buffy thought with the books in front of her that Giles had given her on the Order of Turaka.  
  
Giles coming out of his office taking his glasses off and cleaning them and then putting them back on as he looked up at Buffy who looked like she was half out of it, "Buffy." he said lightly.  
  
"Yeah...Huh?" Then regaining herself "Sorry just a little out of it." she said said looking back at him slightly smiling.  
  
"Thats understandable." Giles said sitting on the edge of the table slightly and was about to say something else when the library doors opened suddenly, in coming Cordelia.  
  
When Buffy saw Cordelia she bolted into Giles' office, without Cordelia even noticing, since she was ranting to herself, "Its not fair." Cordelia said then turning towards Giles "I mean I take the time to point out all of the people with no fashion in this school, I'm the person in charge of setting up the prom-OH!, not to mention..." She was cut off by Giles, "Cordelia can I help you?" he asked, not wanting to hear any more of her rant.  
  
"What?-OH yeah, I need to research some guy." she said simply like Giles would know who she was talking about without saying his name.  
  
Giles looking impatiently "His name?"  
  
"Something Ceasar."  
  
"Julius Ceasar?" Giles asked.  
  
"Yeah, like the salad." she said.  
  
"Yes...well, I'll get together the information on him and give it to you tomorrow morning before school." he said.  
  
"Good, the less time I spend in here the better." she said leaving.  
  
Buffy hearing the library doors shut came out of the office. "That was close." she said sitting back down in a chair at the table.  
  
When the library doors opened again Buffy was about to run into Giles' office again until she saw it was Willow.  
  
"Hey." Willow said taking a seat at the table.  
  
Giles greeted Willow with a nod "Buffy I'm going to run on home. I think I may have some more books there that could aid in the research. Tomorrow morning, before school, we'll meet back here." he said leaving.  
  
After a few seconds of ackward quietness between herself and Willow, Buffy spoke up, "Will..I was hoping to talk with you alone."  
  
"Re-Really, about what?" Willow asked nervously.  
  
"Its just...I'm going to be here for about a month unless Giles can find a way to send me home sooner, and well-I just miss talking with you." Buffy said.  
  
"I-I miss talking with you too Buffy it-its just...I-I just started getting over not having you to talk to and now your here." seeing the hurt expression from Buffy she started to babble "Not that I don't want you here...y-you're nice to have around...around you are nice." hearing herself babble she smiled and went over and hugged Buffy.  
  
"Buffy I don't know how long you are going to be here, but I want to make the most of it." Willow said pulling away from a smiling Buffy.  
  
Buffy was about to say something when in came Cordelia. Buffy was caught offguard and had no time to take cover so she slumped in her chair ready for the worse.  
  
Cordelia walked up to Willow with Buffy slumped in the chair next to her "Hey." she said looking at Willow like she was trying to remember her name "Widdow?" Cordelia said looking at Willow.  
  
"Willow." Willow said correcting Cordelia.  
  
"Yeah whatever...where's that librarian guy?" Cordelia asked looking around the library.  
  
"Giles? H-he went home." Willow said.  
  
Cordelia sighed "Tell him I will come tomorrow *AFTER* school to pick up the information he is getting for me because tomorrow morning I have prom committee."  
  
Cordelia was about to leave when she turned towards Buffy "Don't I know you?"  
  
Buffy looked like a deer in headlights, before she could say anything Cordelia said "Whatever." and walked off leaving Buffy saved.  
  
Buffy relaxed looking at Willow who had seemed as tense as she was when Cordelia came in.  
  
Sitting down Willow said "Well at least she didn't misprenounce your name."  
  
"Will, she didn't even know my name." Buffy replied.  
  
"OH yeah." Willow smiled "How is Cordelia like in your reality?"  
  
"Pretty much like she is here except she has seemed to gotten better since her and Xander are (at first Buffy couldn't bring herself to say Xander and Cordelia was dating, they're total opposites of each other} she thought.  
  
"Their what?" Willow asked innocently.  
  
"Dating." Buffy replied.  
  
To this Willow almosted laughed out loud "XANDER and CORDELIA!" she said not believing it.  
  
When Buffy nodded Willow said "Yeah, but what about you and Xander?"  
  
Buffy was caught offguard "Me and WHO?" Buffy asked looking at Willow.  
  
Willow hearing what she said to Buffy panicked, "UH-I-I have to go." she said getting up to leave.   
============================= 


	7. Just leave me alone

Chapter 7: Just leave me alone.  
  
  
  
Buffy shot up in front of Willow "What do you mean me and Xander?"  
  
Willow was panicking "Ah-I didn't mean you and Xander I mea-mean't-Ah   
(then she sighed sitting down back in her seat at the table as Buffy   
sat back down with her.)  
  
"Buffy, Giles told me not to say anything in case you and Xander weren't together in your reality. He thought you had too much on your mind already." Willow said then continued when Buffy didn't speak, "So, in your reality you and Xander aren't together?" Willow asked, almost whispering it.  
  
Buffy looked shell shocked "No...I mean-I like Xander, but I-I don't   
(she trailed off for a second looking down and then back up and   
continued) "It's just I never thought that (she trailed off looking   
back down).  
  
{First I sleep with Angel, he loses his soul, kills Ms. Calender,   
then I get thrown into this alternate reality thingy and in this   
reality me and Xander are a couple or-or were before I was killed in   
this reality.}  
  
"You mean you don't lo-love Xander?" Willow asked.  
  
Buffy getting up "I-I need to be alone...to think." she said out loud to no one inpaticular.  
  
Willow watched her go and muttered to herself "Way to go Rosenburg."  
  
======================================================================  
  
Giles was at home going through his volumes of books on alternate   
plains (realities). So far he hadn't found anything of use and it was   
starting to get under his skin, but that wasn't the only thing   
wigging him out (as Buffy would say.) He had been recieving phone   
calls lately from the watcher's council saying watchers were missing.   
He was going to tell Willow and Xander, then Buffy had shown up from   
an alternate reality leaving him more important matters. The council   
said five of the watcher's council had turned up dead and three   
others were missing. Plus on top of that they were having trouble  
locating the next slayer. Giles was skimming over a book as he   
thought about all of this and was about to move on to the next book   
when something caught his eye, reading it he muttered "Oh Dear."   
Getting up he picked up the phone and dialed the library. It was   
busy, "Damnit" he muttered gathering up the books he needed as he ran out the door, heading for the library.  
  
======================================================================  
  
It was night and Buffy was patroling, Xanderless. This morning she   
was hoping to go patrol tonight and kick some undead butt, but now   
she just wanted a quite walk.   
  
{Yeah, that'll happen.} she thought as she walked down the street.   
  
She kept hearing Willow in her head ("You don't love Xander?") over and over again. She thought about the time Xander asked her to the Spring Fling dance and how hurt he looked when she rejected him, and then after that when he saved her life, giving her CPR in the master's lair. She starting thinking about all the times with Xander, when she danced with him to make Angel jealous, when she came on to him in the library under that spell, when they had an almost more than friends moment after Xander staked Turesa the vampire who was a present to her from Angelus.  
  
"God I have to get home." she said out loud, {what if while I'm here   
Angelus kills Giles or Willow or Xand...} "No! You can't think about   
that." she said out loud to herself.   
  
"Talking to yourself again?" a voice said behind her to which she whirled around with stake in hand.  
  
"Whoa! Don't shoot...or stake" Xander said backing up and looking at   
the stake before continuing, "I went to the library to meet you and   
Willow said you where already gone. I thought we were going to patrol   
together?" he said.  
  
"I bet you did." Buffy bit off.  
  
"What does that mean?" he asked confused.  
  
"I don't need a babysitter!" she said turning to walk away.  
  
Xander got in front of her "Babysitter? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Every since I got here its been, stay at my house, sleep in my bed,   
now I know why, you think you and me are going to pick up where you   
and *her* left off!" she said loud enough to wake the dead, which in   
this town is not something you want to do.  
  
"Oh." Xander said looking down, realising what she was talking about.  
  
"Your damn right, Oh!" she said looking at him.  
  
"Buffy I-I don't know what to say." he said looking down even more if   
that was possible.  
  
"No! You just wanted to pretend everything was okay and go on with   
life like nothing ever happened." Buffy said.  
  
That last statement sparked a flare in Xander, "How dare you! Like nothing happened? Do you know how it is to lose someone who was a part of your soul!" he shouted.  
  
His words caught Buffy offguard for a moment then she regained her   
composure, "Just go away...I want to be alone." she said almost   
whispering it as she turned around and started walking away.  
  
"Fine! Maybe I'll go and get myself killed. You would probably like   
that wouldn't you!" Xander said yelling at her.  
  
Buffy was about to turn around and answer him when someone else   
answered instead.  
  
"Maybe I can help with that." Darla said standing about twenty feet   
behind Xander with two other vamps and the three eyed demon.  
============================================================= 


	8. Hey, watch the eye!

Chapter 8: "Hay! Watch the eye."  
  
  
  
Scene:The library  
  
  
It had just gotten dark and Willow was on the net looking over some   
websites. {I'm probably the only person who has the obituaries   
bookmarked.} she thought to herself as she typed away.  
  
She was still waiting for Oz to come pick her up. Before sunset Xander came by to go on patrol with Buffy, she was going to mention to Xander about her letting it slip to Buffy that Xander and the Buffy of this reality were a couple, but Xander was out the door once she told him Buffy had already left. Willow heard the library doors fly open, making her jump.  
  
It was Giles and he was out of breath "Wher...where's Buffy?" he asked,   
then looking around the library and seeing that she was no where in   
sight he knew she had left "Damnit!" he muttered.  
  
"Giles what it is?" Willow asked getting up from her chair.  
  
Giles caught his breath and then continued, "We have to find her, I   
found the way for her to get back to her reality."  
  
"How?" Willow asked.  
  
Giles indicated with his finger just a minute and started opening the   
book he had under his arm before continuing, "The key is the demon's eye on his forehead. It has some kind of magical power that allows him to control doorways to alternate plains." he said looking at Willow who   
had a confused look on her face. He claified "Alternate realities."  
  
Willow shook her head "No I understand alternate realities...w-well   
sorta, but what I don't understand is why are you in such a   
hurry since you said the demon can't open the doorway until the full   
moon?"  
  
"Because I also found out how to kill the demon." Giles said.  
  
"Good." Willow replied with a smile until she saw Giles'   
expression, "Not Good?" she asked sounding uncertain.  
  
"No, not good. It seems the only way to kill the demon is...to   
destroy the eye."  
  
Willow looked at Giles with alarm "So if Buffy encounters this demon   
and kills him she..."  
  
Giles finished for her "She will possibly destroy her only way back   
to her reality."  
  
======================================================================  
  
"So this is the slayer I've heard so much about." said Darla as she   
circled Buffy, who was now standing next to Xander.  
  
Xander was watching Darla out of the corner of his eye, but most of   
his attention was focused on the three eyed demon.  
  
Darla saw Xander staring at the demon and she smiled "Looks like your   
boyfriend is pissed at somebody."  
  
Buffy turned her head slightly, so that she could still see Darla in case she made a move, and saw Xander looking angrily at the three eyed   
demon.  
  
"Xander!" she yelled. When he didn't answer she yelled again, "Xander!   
Focus." she said hoping he would snap out of whatever state of rage he   
was in.  
  
Xander wanted to go over there and rip the demon apart for killing   
the person he loved, but he was starting to get control of himself   
hearing Buffy yelling his name, well, until the demon spoke, "I guess I get a second chance at you boy. To bad your girlfriend isn't here." he   
said glancing at Buffy before the demon corrected himself "Well, I mean the one I killed." he said smiling.  
  
Xander snapped, pulling a stake out of his pocket as he charged at the   
demon and two vamps, "Xander No!" Buffy yelled, but it was too late. He was out of her reach before she knew it and too her surprise Xander   
dusted the two vamps so quick they didn't even have time to react,   
but the demon was another story, to which Xander found out too late. After he stabbed the demon in the chest with the stake the demon   
growled in pain and then flung him backwards on the grass.  
  
Buffy turned to take on Darla, but she was gone {She's a coward   
unless she has guns} Buffy thought as she turned her attention to the   
three eyed demon.  
  
The demon staggered, holding his chest as he faced off with Buffy. The   
eye on his forehead started glowing, and then Buffy knew what she had   
to do to kill the demon.  
  
======================================================================  
  
Scene:Back at the library  
  
  
Willow was sitting by herself at the table as Giles was in the book   
cage {What if Buffy can't get back to her reality, then she thought   
about that. It would be nice to have Buffy back, but it wouldn't be   
what Buffy would want...I mean if I were stuck in some other reality   
I wouldn't be happy} Willow thought as Giles came out of the book   
cage with some weapons as he handed Willow some holy water, crosses, and stakes. Then keeping some for himself, including a big sword. As they headed towards the library doors to go find Buffy, Willow told Giles about her letting it slip to Buffy that her and Xander were a couple in this reality.  
  
"We'll deal with that later." Giles said looking at her as he nearly   
bumped into Oz, who was coming through the library doors at the same   
time they were leaving.  
  
"Hey, What's with the heavy armory?" Oz asked looking at the sword   
Giles was carrying.  
  
"We have to find Buffy and Xander." Willow said.  
  
Oz was about to ask why, but Giles cut him off, "We'll fill you in on   
the way." he said getting his keys out of his jacket.  
  
"Well, if we'll taking your car then I'll have time to hear the long   
version." Oz said half smiling at Giles.  
  
"Fine, we'll take your van. Lets just hurry." Giles said as they   
walked out of the library while turning the lights out.  
  
As they left the library a figure moved through the library to the back of the stacks.  
============================================= 


	9. Whispers in the dark.

Chapter 9: Whispers in the dark  
  
  
  
Buffy was in fighting stance waiting for the demon to make the first move. When the demon just stood there laughing, Buffy decided to go on the offensive and launched herself at the demon, which she soon found out was a bad move as the demon caught her and picked her up as he tossed her on the ground next to Xander, who was just starting to get to his feet.  
  
The demon laughed as he saw Xander stand, "You think you can hurt me boy. I have killed thousands of people over thousands of realities. You are not worth the effort, but you..." he said looking at Buffy who was now getting to her feet, "I love killing slayers."   
  
"Xander get out of here." Buffy said.  
  
"No!" Xander said still focused on the demon as well.  
  
Buffy turned to Xander "Go! find Giles."  
  
As Buffy and Xander were arguing the demon charged Buffy and knocked her down on her back, knocking the breath out of her as he stood over her. Xander charged the demon knocking them both to the ground. The demon was the first to get up as he picked Xander up off the ground and threw him against a nearby tree.  
  
Buffy seeing the demon throw Xander, got up and threw a variety of punches and kicks at the demon that knocked him down. Buffy picked up the stake Xander dropped and raised it above her head ready to strike the eye on his forehead.  
  
"Buffy no!"   
  
Buffy looked up to see Giles, Willow and Oz getting out of Oz's van. When Buffy looked up the demon knocked her off of him and took off into the night.  
  
Giles running up to Buffy "Buffy are you alr....(he was cut off by Buffy) "Giles what the hell is your problem!"  
  
"Buffy that demon might be your only way back to your reality." Giles replied.  
  
"Oh." she said calming down, then looked back at Giles "Thank you...Xander!" she screamed remembering Xander was unconsious. She quickly ran to his side with the others.  
  
"Lets get him back to the library." Giles said as Oz helped carry Xander to his van.  
  
======================================================================  
  
Xander is walking down the halls of Sunnydale High {Whats going on? A minute ago I was fighting the demon and now I'm at school.} he thought to himself as he walked down the halls. As he walked he could hear whispers. He stopped walking as he came in front of the library doors. Opening the doors he found Giles, Willow and Oz around the table talking to each other.   
  
Xander walking up to them "Giles what's happening? I was with Buffy on patrol and these vampires and the demon attacked us...(he stopped seeing that Giles wasn't paying attention to him) "Giles! Giles!" he yelled at Giles who was talking to Willow and Oz, but he couldn't make out what they were saying because they were whispering.  
  
Turning his attention to Willow "Willow! Willow! Oz!" he practically screamed as he looked at Oz. Oz looked up and for a minute Xander thought Oz was looking at him until he saw Oz looking past him at the clock on the wall.   
  
"Why doesn't anyone every listen to me?" Xander said out loud.  
  
"I listen." a voice said from behind him, to which Xander nearly jumped out of his skin. When he turned around he saw Buffy standing in front of the library doors.  
  
"Xander come here." she said in a soft whisper.  
  
Xander came towards Buffy "Buffy are you alright the dem...(he was cut off by Buffy) "Xander I love you." she said whispering again.  
  
"I-I love you too." he said walking up to her confused.  
  
"Be with me." she said.  
  
Xander now just inches away from her "Be with you?" he asked with confusion, but also with hope.  
  
"Close your eyes." she whispered to him.  
  
Xander was wigged, but he did what she said.  
  
With his eyes closed Xander said "Buffy what's go...(But he was cut off by a strong smell.)  
  
...............  
  
Xander heard someone calling his name. As he opened his eyes he saw Buffy, Willow, Oz and Giles hovered over him. Willow was holding smelling salts to his nose.  
  
"Wh-whats going on? Wh-where am I?" Xander said as Willow removed the smelling salts from the front of his nose. Xander tried to raise up only to have a shot of pain shoot through his head.  
  
"Don't get up, you have a concussion." Giles said with a hand on Xander's shoulder and then continued when Xander did what he said, "Xander do you remember anything?" Giles said with the others by his side waiting for an answer.  
  
"Only getting flung around like I was a ball." Xander said, seeming to be his old self again...except for the gash on his head.  
  
"You shouldn't have came after me." Buffy said a little more harsh than she intended.  
  
Despite the pain coursing through his head Xander answered "I wouldn't have had to if you would've waited for me in the library!"  
  
Before Buffy could respond Giles put his hand up in front of Buffy and Xander "Everyone is okay, so there's no need to blame each other...(he looked at Buffy and Xander and when they both finally nodded in agreement he continued) "Besides I think we have enough to worry about."  
  
"Giles what do we do about the demon?" Willow asked.  
  
"Well, for now I think you all should go home and get some rest. We'll meet back here and discuss it in the morning." he said.  
  
"But what about Xander?" Willow asked.  
  
Giles looked at Xander "I think it would be best if you stay here for the night..I'll stay with you of course."  
  
"Me too." Buffy said and then continued when she saw everybody looking at her "I-I mean since I'm staying at Xander's house. I don't think his parents would like walking in to his room to find me   
sleeping in his bed." she said turning a little red.  
  
"I don't think they'll m-m-me and Oz will be leaving now." Willow said after seeing Giles glare at her.  
  
"Your suppose to stop me from doing that." Willow said turning to leave while looking at Oz as they walked out of the library.  
  
Xander looked at Buffy after Willow and Oz left, "Buffy my parents were leaving when I got home from school. They said they were going to one of my mother's friends house for a week, so you can go on to my house tonight." he said handing her his keys.  
  
Buffy was about to protest when Giles inturrepted her "Yes, Buffy you need your rest. You can meet us back here in the morning."  
  
Buffy didn't feel like arguing "Ok, see you in the morning." she said with a wave as she turned to leave.  
  
"Buffy." Xander said.  
  
Buffy turned around "Behave yourself in my room." Xander said smiling.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes and left smiling, leaving Giles and Xander alone.  
  
======================================================================  
  
When Buffy got to Xander's house she was beat, after she took a shower she went in Xander's room. She went to his nightstand to look for a clean shirt she could wear for the night. Opening it, she saw a small box at the back of the drawer. Curious, she picked it up and was surprised to see her name on it. It wasn't wrapped so she opened it and saw a heartshaped locket. Opening the locket she saw two pictures in it, one of her and the other of Xander. After staring at the   
locket for a few minutes she put it back in the box and put the box back inside his nightstand. Then she climbed into Xander's bed and just stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours until she finally fell asleep.  
========================================= 


	10. No Sleep for Me.

Chapter 10: No Sleep for Me  
  
  
  
Scene:The library  
  
  
It was about five in the morning as Xander sat in a chair at the table, trying to stay awake, because Giles gave him some boring lecture about not falling asleep for awhile after having a concussion and every time he would start to doze off Giles, who was standing behind the counter looking through some of his books he had brought from his house, would squit him with a water gun, filled with holy water nonetheless.  
  
"Hey!" Xander shouted as the water hit him in the face. "I'm not a vampire, you don't need to shoot me with holy water." he said defensively.  
  
"To keep you awake I do, besides it's either the holy water or this." Giles said holding up a crossbow.  
  
Xander sighed sitting upright in his chair, taking one of what seemed like a hundred books on the table.  
  
Giles smiled and was about to go back to reading when Xander spoke up, "Giles, do you know how to read dreams?"  
  
Giles looked up from his book, "Read dreams?" he asked with confusion.  
  
"Yeah, You know...like inturrept them." Xander said.  
  
"Interpret?" Giles asked.  
  
"Whatever. Do you know how to *INTERPRET* dreams?" Xander asked annoyed.  
  
"Yes, well somewhat...(then looking at Xander) "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh, No reason." Xander said looking back at the book in his lap.  
  
Xander looking at the book like he was interested in it was a dead give away to Giles that something was bothering him.   
  
"What kind of dreams have you been having?" Giles asked.  
  
Xander looked up at Giles "Not dreams, dream, as in one."  
  
"Can you describe it?" Giles asked, walking out of his office door and over to the table.  
  
"Well, when I was out cold from the demon playing catch with the tree, using me as the ball, I dreamed that I was walking down the halls of school and I could hear voices and (Giles inturrepted him) "Voices?"  
  
"Well, more like whispers. I couldn't make them out...anyway I go to the library and I find you talking to Willow and Oz at the table. I tried to talk to you, but you acted like you couldn't see me."  
  
"What were we saying?" Giles asked.  
  
"I don't know, you were whispering too low for me to understand."  
  
Xander didn't feel like telling Giles about seeing Buffy in his dream, because he knew Giles would say something like ("Well, it's understandable seeing Buffy, with you losing her and now all of the sudden she's here again etc.....") Besides, Xander was still wigged about the way she whispered to him in the dream.  
  
"Well," Giles said snapping Xander out of his thoughts, "You probably just need to start listening to me more carefully." Giles said smiling.  
  
Xander slightly smiled and then looked at the clock and changed the subject, "Well, when can I lay my head down without you giving me a baptism?"  
  
Giles looked at his watch, "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if you (but before he finished Xander's head was on the table.)  
  
Giles smiled and went back to his books behind the counter.  
  
======================================================================  
  
Scene:Back at the factory  
  
  
Spike was tired of all this sitting around and letting others have all of the fun. Spike got up from his chair at the long table positioned in the middle of the room, "Dru, I'm tired of sitting on our asses, lets go and have some fun." he said holding out his hand for her to take.  
  
They were inturrepted by what sounded like fighting outside, "Bloody hell!" Spike said as he let go of Drusilla's hand to go investigate, but he didn't get far because coming in the doorway was, "Slayer!" Spike said grinning at her before continuing, "We were just coming to kill you."   
  
One of Spike's men charged Buffy, but when he got within a few inches of her, he turned to dust. As the ashes fell to the ground Spike and Drusilla stood with shocked expressions, but not because she staked the vamp, but because her face vamped out as she walked towards them.  
  
"What the bloody hell is... was all Spike could say as she threw a punch, sending him flying across the room with Drusilla not far behind.  
  
As Spike got up with Drusilla, he was pissed, but also intrigued, "How did...who (he was cut off by a voice from behind him) "Maybe I can help answer your questions." A man said as he came out of the shadows smiling with his fangs showing.  
  
"Let me introduce myself, name's Jesse." he said.  
  
Jesse told Spike how he found Buffy (the Buffy of this reality) after the demon left her and Xander for dead and then turned her. He was going to turn Xander as well, but the ambulances and police showed up so he left, leaving them for the paramedics to find. Then he went to Buffy's grave and waited for her to rise.  
  
After Jesse told Spike all of this he stood there smiling at Spike, "You see Spike, she's mine and she'll do whatever I say or kill whoever I want her to..." But he didn't finish his sentence as he felt a sharp pain to his chest. Looking down he saw a stake impaled in it as he looked up at Buffy in shock before turning to dust.  
  
Spike and Drusilla stood looking at the vamp as he turned to dust, then Spike looked at Buffy, "Y-You killed your Sire." he said in shock.  
  
"I don't take orders from anyone." Buffy said, then she looked at Spike and Drusilla, "I'm moving in, so I suggest you leave."  
  
"I think I like you better as a human." Spike said as he grabbed Dru's hand, "Come on love, lets go."  
  
"But Spike, I want to play." Drusilla said whining.  
  
"Oh, we'll play, just not now pet." he said as they left.  
  
After Spike and Drusilla left, Buffy looked at one of the vamps who was Spike's men, "Tell all of your friends either pledge themselves to me or die."  
  
The vamp looked at her frightened, "W-What are y-you going to do...Master?"  
  
"Get what I want." she said looking down at a picture of her and Xander as she grinned showing off her fangs.  
================================================= 


	11. Dreams aren't real...are they?

Chapter 11: Dreams aren't real...are they?  
  
  
Scene:Buffy in Xander's bed as she sleeps.  
  
  
(IN BUFFY'S DREAM)  
  
  
Xander and Willow are at a table in the bronze as she walks up to them, Xander stands smiling as Buffy hands him her jacket.  
  
"What's wrong with Angel?" Willow askes looking at Buffy.  
  
Buffy shrugs looking back at Angel, which leads Xander to shrug at Willow like who cares, then Buffy looks back at Xander and says, "Lets dance." in a seductive tone.  
  
"Oookay." he says as she leads him to the dance floor.  
  
Buffy tugs at his shirt leading them under a dim light as she starts to dance seductively in front of him. Then she dances up to him, slowly turning her back to him and putting his arms around herself.  
  
Buffy dances slowly as she craddles her back against Xander while he stands there unsure of what to do. After a few minutes of this seduction she turns around facing him and whispers, inches away from his mouth, "Xander, did I ever thank you...for saving my life?"  
  
"No." he replies.   
  
She looks up at him and says, "Let me." as her face changes and she digs her fangs into his neck.  
  
Buffy wakes up sweating, as she catches her breath and then looks at the clock that reads 4:30 in the morning as she gets up in a hurry and starts to get dressed, heading for the library.  
======================================================================  
  
Scene:The library  
  
  
After Giles looked at Xander who seemed to be asleep with his head down, Giles got off the side of the table and went back behind the counter to continue his research, but before he could continue the phone in his office rang. Giles looked at Xander as he hurried to the phone hoping that the ringing didn't wake Xander.  
  
Giles picking up the phone, "Hello."  
  
"Rupert...Rupert Giles?" the voice asked.  
  
"Yes, this is he." Giles answered back.  
  
After a few moments of silence Giles got irritated, "Who is this?" but the only response he got was the other person hanging up.  
  
Giles looked at the phone, puzzled as he hung it up. After hanging up the phone he walked out   
of his office, but his mind kept wandering back to the phone calls he had recieved about watchers who were reported missing or turned up dead. Ever since this reality's Buffy died and Buffy's arrival from an alternate reality Giles hadn't had time to check in with any of his contacts at the council, so he decided to do just that. However, he was afraid of waking Xander with his phone conversations so he wrote a note saying that he was going home to make some phone calls and that he would be back before classes started. As he left, he put the note on the table in front of Xander, who was still out like a light.  
  
======================================================================  
  
[Note:The vampire Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Scene:Outside Xander's window  
  
  
V-Buffy looked on in astonishment, watching Buffy sleep from the window ledge of Xander's room {So the rumors are true, about another me} she thought to herself as she jumped down to the ground in front of three vamps who had pledged theirselves to do her bidding, mainly   
because they were scared of her.  
  
Ivan, the biggest of the three, was a Russian weightlifter for the Olympic team when he was alive. He seemed to be the only one who pledged himself willingly. He stepped forward, "What are   
your orders master?"  
  
"I want you to wait until she comes out to play." V-Buffy said smiling.  
  
"Bu-but Master...the sunrise." one of the vampires said from behind Ivan.   
  
When he recieved a glare from her that seemed to burn thru his soul (and considering he didn't have a soul that's saying alot) he lowered his head in fear.  
  
"Do you want us to kill her?" Ivan asked.  
  
"I don't care, just keep her busy until sunrise." V-Buffy said as she started walking away.  
  
"Where are you going?" Ivan asked.  
  
"To show my love his destiny." V-Buffy said not breaking a stride as she walked to the school.  
  
======================================================================  
  
Scene:Inside of Xander's house a few minutes later  
  
  
Buffy had just got up to get dressed when she felt the need to take a shower after waking up sweating. Going into the bathroom to take a shower she tried to remember every detail of the dream she could. After finishing her shower and getting dressed she went downstairs when she noticed the clock on the wall in the living room read five o'clock, "God, it takes me thirty minutes to take a shower?" she said to herself as she opened the door, but as soon as she headed out the door she was met by a kick to her midsection, knocking her down. While she was bent over, the vamp tossed her out onto the front lawn.  
  
"It's about time you came out to play." said the vampire who kicked her.  
  
"Great, I take a shower only to go outside to play in the yard." Buffy said getting back to her feet as she studied her surroundings. Three vamps, the one who kicked her who looked like he was a weightlifter and two others who seemed to be staying in the background as though they were unsure of what to do.  
  
"Don't you think it's a little past your bedtime." Buffy said indicating the soon to be sunrise.  
  
Ivan screamed at the two vampires behind him, "Don't just stand there!" but before the two vamps could even react to Ivan's orders Buffy slid a stake out from under her jacket's sleeve and threw the stake at one of the vamps dusting it.  
  
{Two to one, I like those odds better} Buffy thought to herself as she waited for the vampire beside the one she dusted to attack. When he just stood there in shock at how fast she dusted his companion she took the offensive and lunged at him, dusting him in two seconds flat, leaving herself and Ivan.  
  
Ivan wasn't impressed, in fact he seemed to be pissed as he lunged with his left hand at her, knocking the stake out of her hand. He then brought his right hand forward only to have it blocked and then kicked in the midsection as he fell on his back while Buffy searched for   
the stake that Ivan had knocked out of her hand. Finding it, she picked it up and turned towards Ivan who was starting to get up until she kicked him and turned him face down on the ground as she leaned over him with her stake over his back, "Who sent you?" she asked pissed off.  
  
After a few seconds of no answer she reinforced her grip on him, making him growl in pain. Buffy could see he was about to give in and was smiling to herself until she heard his answer, "You did" he said laughing.  
  
======================================================================  
  
V-Buffy knew where Xander would be, she could feel him from a mile away as she walked into the school. The school was deserted this early in the morning as she walked to the library doors. Looking into the windows, she smiled as she saw him with his head down asleep on the table.  
  
Xander was dreaming his usually dreams, which involved him and Buffy or him and food, when all of the sudden his dream changed to him watching the three eyed demon beat Buffy to death as he stood   
there helpless as if his legs were cemented into the ground.   
  
His head shot up as he woke from his nightmare, disoriented as he looked around catching his breath and sighing.   
  
  
"Xander"  
  
  
He turned to the sound of his name being whispered to see Buffy standing in front of the library doors looking at him.  
  
Xander got up from his seat, "Buffy is everything okay, are you alr...(he was cut off by her) "Shhh...Xander come here" she whispered to him.  
  
Xander felt drawn to her as he came closer, "Buffy what...(she cut him off again) "Shhh" she whispered with her finger to her lips as he came closer.  
  
"Close your eyes."   
  
Xander, now within touch of her, felt like he couldn't control himself when she whispered to him that way.  
  
"Close your eyes." she whispered again.  
  
Xander tried to respond, "Buffy..." (but she stopped him, this time with   
her finger to his mouth), "Shhh...close your eyes."  
  
Xander felt his eyes close even though he was unsure of this whole situation. He tried to speak with his eyes closed, but couldn't seem to open his mouth.   
  
As Xander stood there with his eyes closed, Buffy morphed into her Vamp face, still with her finger to his lips as she smiled.  
============================================== 


	12. I hate Interruptions!

[Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 12: I hate Interruptions!   
  
  
  
Scene:Outside Xander's house   
  
  
Buffy has Ivan pinned down face first into the ground as she leans over him with her stake at his back "I did?" Buffy asked with skepticism in voice. Despite Buffy's comment Ivan just continued laughing as he laid face down under Buffy's grip, until Buffy commented again, "You know, its been awhile since I've seen a sunset." she said smiling.   
  
Figuring it was better to be staked than to be burned alive...er...unalive, Ivan panicked, "All I know is she wanted us to keep you busy."   
  
"Keep me busy?" Buffy asked, not liking were this was going, "Where is she?" Buffy asked.  
  
When she got no answer she started getting impatient, "Where?"   
  
"The school...she was heading towards the school." Ivan grunted out. Buffy jumped off of Ivan and started taking off towards the school. Ivan jumped up thinking he was free only to have Buffy fling the stake she had behind her back right into his chest turning him into dust just as the sun was just coming over the horizon, burning his ashes simultaneously as Buffy continued towards the school not looking back.   
===============================================================  
  
Scene:Gile's apartment   
  
  
Giles had just gotten home and was searching through his personal phone book with the numbers of some of his old contacts from the council. He hadn't been in contact with some of them since he left England. With the recent deaths and disappearances of some of the council he was having trouble contacting the council directly and was hoping some of them may be able to give him some insight to what was going on back at the council. Hopefully they had found out who or what was resposible.   
  
"Hello." a voice said from the other line.   
  
"Hello, my name is Rupert Giles I'm an old friend of Mr. Kingsley I was wondering if....Oh, I-I'm sorry, when did he...well, please accept my condolenses."   
  
After he hung up, Giles was feeling frustrated. He had no way of knowing what was going on back at the council and every call he made it seemed they all had met similar fates. As Giles gathered his books he looked at his watch and hurried out the door, heading back towards the school. ===============================================================  
  
Scene:The library   
  
As Xander stood there with his eyes closed he had this feeling of Deja vu. He was about to open his eyes until he felt Buffy's finger caress his lips.   
  
V-Buffy smiled as she stood in front of Xander, with her vamp face on, remembering the night that she was turned like it was yesterday. Xander was the last thing that was on her mind as she lost her battle with mortality and he was the first thing on her mind when she woke with immortality. She had dreamt of this moment ever since she had been turned and now she was finally going to have her love....forever.   
==============================================================   
  
Scene:Outside of the school  
  
  
Buffy had just made her way to the school as the sun was just above the horizon. She opened the school doors and started sprinting towards the library, afraid of what she might find. She was almost towards the library, when she bumped into Cordelia knocking them both down.   
  
Cordelia getting to her feet, "Watch were you're going frea...Hey, aren't you...(Buffy interupted her) "Not now!" she said as she continued to the library, pushing the doors open only to collide with two people.   
  
As Xander got up, he felt like he was knocked out of a trance, "What...". For the first time in his life Xander Harris had nothing funny to say as he got up staring at V-Buffy still in her vamp face.   
  
V-Buffy leaned herself up, looking directly at the person who interupted the moment she has been waiting for, "You!" V-Buffy hissed as she stood looking directly at Buffy.   
  
Buffy looked at the vamp version of herself, not knowing what to say as she slowly made her way towards Xander.  
  
"Oh God" was all Xander could manage as he stood looking into the eyes of the demon, his former friend and love.   
  
Buffy was still a little stunned, looking at her vampversion, but she still managed to take a defensive stance in front of a equally stunned Xander.   
  
"I don't know where you've from, or how you got here, but you won't stop me from having what I want!" V-Buffy said as she stared down Buffy in front of Xander.   
  
Buffy was about to respond with some violence, but was distracted by Cordelia's sudden appearance, "You don't just walk away from Cordelia Chase withou...[Cordelia was stopped dead in her tracks, and her rant as V-Buffy grabbed Cordelia and pushed her into Buffy, knocking them both to the floor.]   
  
Xander watched the scene unfold in front of him, unable to react, as he looked at Buffy and Cordelia on the floor.   
  
He was unable to move until he heard that voice.   
  
The voice that always seemed to make his heart skip a beat, but this was not the same sweet, loving voice he knew. Sure, it might have sounded like it, but at the core this voice was pure evil, "Xander, come here." V-Buffy said in a whisper, yet somewhat stern voice.   
===================================================================== 


	13. The Offer of an Eternity.

Chapter 13: The Walk Home  
  
  
  
Scene: The library about an hour later  
  
  
Giles had just arrived, followed by a worried Willow and Oz after Buffy had called them. They were all around the table discussing what had happened. Willow and Oz were seated at the table across from Xander, who at the moment seemed to be elsewhere.  
  
Buffy sat at the edge of the stairs leading towards the stacks as Giles paced around the room.  
  
"Xander." Giles said in a low voice as if he were afraid Xander were glass and was about to break. When he got no answer he placed his hand on Xander's shoulder. Xander looked up at Giles with a emotionless face, as if waiting for Giles to repeat whatever he had said.  
  
"Giles what are we going to do?" Willow asked.  
  
Giles was out of answers as he turned towards Willow, "I think we all need some time to digest this...(then he looked off into his office as if the answers may be in there) before continuing, "We'll meet back here in the morning and figure out what we'll do then."  
  
This seemed to jolt Xander out of his trance, "What do you mean, what we will do?" he asked in stern voice as he stood from his chair.   
  
Giles wasn't expecting Xander's question as he struggled for a response, "X-Xander, I...(but he was saved by Willow) "Xander, I don't think right now is the time for this." she said with pleading eyes.  
  
Buffy, who felt like she was on the outside of this conversation, just sat there staring at Xander .  
  
After seeing Willow on the verge of breakdown, Xander nodded his head at Giles as if to say I'm sorry. Then he just sat back down in his seat staring off into the stacks until he made eye contact with Buffy, which didn't seem to help as he slightly turned his head away from her.  
  
Buffy thought she knew pain when Angel had turned, but what was happening here in this reality seemed much more painful as she saw Xander quickly avert his eyes from her.   
  
After a minute or two Oz got up with Willow as they left in silence.   
  
Xander started getting up to leave only to have Giles protest, "X-Xander you don't need to walk home alone." Giles knew what he was about to ask probably would be harder than tomorrow morning's   
discussion, but he had to ask it for Xander's safety and {besides, he thought, Buffy's staying at his house anyway}.   
  
He looked over at Buffy, who hadn't said a word since he'd arrived, and without a word she got up and started towards the door behind an already leaving Xander.  
======================================================================  
  
Scene: The factory  
  
  
"Where is she? You think she's dead?" Ted, a recently turned vampire, asked one the other vampires in the factory with a little hope, but his only response was a stake to the back as V-Buffy came forward through his cloud of dust.  
  
"Where's Ivan!" she screamed at the other three vampires in the lair.  
  
"H-He was killed by the slayer." one of the vampires answered with his head down, too afraid to look at her.  
  
V-Buffy started pacing around the room as she tried to get control of her emotions.  
  
"That *Bitch* thinks she can take him from me." she said outloud, but to noone inparticular.   
After calming down she took a step towards one of the vampires, "I want you to follow her, but don't let her know your following her and don't attack her. Have I made myself clear?" she   
said looking into the undead eyes of the vampire. When he nodded she continued, "I want to know when she's alone." V-Buffy said as she turned to walk away.  
  
"And then what?" the vampire asked.  
  
"Then, I kill her." she said as she continued walking, disappering into the darkness of the factory.  
======================================================================  
  
  
Buffy was walking home with Xander, but a few feet behind. She didn't know what to say or do, so she kept walking behind him in silence. That is, until he spoke up, "You know, the silence is the same up here." he said as she caught up with him, slightly smiling to herself, glad for the   
silence to end.   
  
"Besides, It's not good to be followed in this town...even if it is the slayer." he said trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"I just thought...you know because of...(she trailed off when Xander stopped and looked directly at her) For a minute he looked like he was about to say something, but he shrugged it off and   
continued walking until Buffy lightly grabbed ahold of him, turning him around.   
  
"Xander, you can talk to me." she said.   
  
When he just kept his head down in silence she was about to plead again until Xander's voice stopped her.  
  
"Do you love m-him?" when he looked up at her expression he elaborated, "The Xander in your reality...do you love him?"   
  
Buffy turned slightly away from his words, which didn't go unnoticed by Xander.  
  
"Yeah." he said in a tone which made him seem like he knew the answer before he even asked the question as he looked down.  
  
Buffy could hear the hurt in Xander's voice, but for some reason she was upset as she turned back around, "Why, do think that if I loved him I could love you?" she asked, then hearing what she had said, she felt like staking herself.  
  
Buffy expected Xander to look hurt at her words or maybe explode at her, but she didn't expect to hear what he said next.  
  
"I-I just thought that if you loved him, then maybe somewhere...I would still have you."   
  
  
Buffy was speechless as she looked into Xander's eyes, then she slowly went up to him as he continued looking down. She stood within arms reach of him as if not knowing how to comfort him or herself. Then, as if it came naturally, she cupped her hand under his chin, making him look into her eyes as she leaned her lips towards his.  
  
So there they were, Buffy and Xander with their lips meeting, as the three eyed demon watched from across the street.  
====================================================================== 


	14. The Walk Home

Chapter 14: The Walk Home  
  
  
  
Scene: The library about an hour later  
  
  
Giles had just arrived, followed by a worried Willow and Oz after Buffy had called them. They were all around the table discussing what had happened. Willow and Oz were seated at the table across from Xander, who at the moment seemed to be elsewhere.  
  
Buffy sat at the edge of the stairs leading towards the stacks as Giles paced around the room.  
  
"Xander." Giles said in a low voice as if he were afraid Xander were glass and was about to break. When he got no answer he placed his hand on Xander's shoulder. Xander looked up at Giles with a emotionless face, as if waiting for Giles to repeat whatever he had said.  
  
"Giles what are we going to do?" Willow asked.  
  
Giles was out of answers as he turned towards Willow, "I think we all need some time to digest this...(then he looked off into his office as if the answers may be in there) before continuing, "We'll meet back here in the morning and figure out what we'll do then."  
  
This seemed to jolt Xander out of his trance, "What do you mean, what we will do?" he asked in stern voice as he stood from his chair.   
  
Giles wasn't expecting Xander's question as he struggled for a response, "X-Xander, I...(but he was saved by Willow) "Xander, I don't think right now is the time for this." she said with pleading eyes.  
  
Buffy, who felt like she was on the outside of this conversation, just sat there staring at Xander .  
  
After seeing Willow on the verge of breakdown, Xander nodded his head at Giles as if to say I'm sorry. Then he just sat back down in his seat staring off into the stacks until he made eye contact with Buffy, which didn't seem to help as he slightly turned his head away from her.  
  
Buffy thought she knew pain when Angel had turned, but what was happening here in this reality seemed much more painful as she saw Xander quickly avert his eyes from her.   
  
After a minute or two Oz got up with Willow as they left in silence.   
  
Xander started getting up to leave only to have Giles protest, "X-Xander you don't need to walk home alone." Giles knew what he was about to ask probably would be harder than tomorrow morning's   
discussion, but he had to ask it for Xander's safety and {besides, he thought, Buffy's staying at his house anyway}.   
  
He looked over at Buffy, who hadn't said a word since he'd arrived, and without a word she got up and started towards the door behind an already leaving Xander.  
======================================================================  
  
Scene: The factory  
  
  
"Where is she? You think she's dead?" Ted, a recently turned vampire, asked one the other vampires in the factory with a little hope, but his only response was a stake to the back as V-Buffy came forward through his cloud of dust.  
  
"Where's Ivan!" she screamed at the other three vampires in the lair.  
  
"H-He was killed by the slayer." one of the vampires answered with his head down, too afraid to look at her.  
  
V-Buffy started pacing around the room as she tried to get control of her emotions.  
  
"That *Bitch* thinks she can take him from me." she said outloud, but to noone inparticular.   
After calming down she took a step towards one of the vampires, "I want you to follow her, but don't let her know your following her and don't attack her. Have I made myself clear?" she   
said looking into the undead eyes of the vampire. When he nodded she continued, "I want to know when she's alone." V-Buffy said as she turned to walk away.  
  
"And then what?" the vampire asked.  
  
"Then, I kill her." she said as she continued walking, disappering into the darkness of the factory.  
======================================================================  
  
  
Buffy was walking home with Xander, but a few feet behind. She didn't know what to say or do, so she kept walking behind him in silence. That is, until he spoke up, "You know, the silence is the same up here." he said as she caught up with him, slightly smiling to herself, glad for the   
silence to end.   
  
"Besides, It's not good to be followed in this town...even if it is the slayer." he said trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"I just thought...you know because of...(she trailed off when Xander stopped and looked directly at her) For a minute he looked like he was about to say something, but he shrugged it off and   
continued walking until Buffy lightly grabbed ahold of him, turning him around.   
  
"Xander, you can talk to me." she said.   
  
When he just kept his head down in silence she was about to plead again until Xander's voice stopped her.  
  
"Do you love m-him?" when he looked up at her expression he elaborated, "The Xander in your reality...do you love him?"   
  
Buffy turned slightly away from his words, which didn't go unnoticed by Xander.  
  
"Yeah." he said in a tone which made him seem like he knew the answer before he even asked the question as he looked down.  
  
Buffy could hear the hurt in Xander's voice, but for some reason she was upset as she turned back around, "Why, do think that if I loved him I could love you?" she asked, then hearing what she had said, she felt like staking herself.  
  
Buffy expected Xander to look hurt at her words or maybe explode at her, but she didn't expect to hear what he said next.  
  
"I-I just thought that if you loved him, then maybe somewhere...I would still have you."   
  
  
Buffy was speechless as she looked into Xander's eyes, then she slowly went up to him as he continued looking down. She stood within arms reach of him as if not knowing how to comfort him or herself. Then, as if it came naturally, she cupped her hand under his chin, making him look into her eyes as she leaned her lips towards his.  
  
So there they were, Buffy and Xander with their lips meeting, as the three eyed demon watched from across the street.  
====================================================================== 


	15. Please don't call me Superman.

[Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 15: Please don't call me Superman  
  
  
  
Scene:The library  
  
  
After Buffy and Xander left Giles finally got through to the council to inform them about the situation. Although it was his worst nightmare about Buffy, it seemed to answer some of the questions about the murders and disappearences of the council members. Giles found out that one of the victims seemed to have survived an attack and confirmed that it was a turned Buffy who attacked him. Stephen George, the man Giles was talking to, was one of the most important   
people in the council and with all of the deaths and disappearences he along with the rest of the council were extremely tense with this confirmed information. Giles could hear the panick in Stephen's voice as he talked to Giles.  
  
  
"Mr. Giles, I don't think I have to tell you the implications of this situation."   
  
"Well, Mr. George I think you do, seeing that this has never happened to my knowledge." Giles said a little enraged.  
  
Hearing the rage in Giles' voice, Stephen seemed to calm down a little, "Mr. Giles, I understand that she was your slayer and you feel responsible, but..." He was cut off by a not too happy Giles, "You understand nothing!"   
  
After a minute of silence from both parties, Giles started the conversation back up, "Have you located the next slayer?" Giles asked as if it were killing him to ask.  
  
"We did, but she was dead."  
  
To this Giles stood from the chair he was sitting in, "What? H-how?"  
  
"It looks like a vampire, probably..." he trailed off, which gave Giles the answer.  
  
"Buffy." Giles let out in a low voice as he sat back down looking defeated.  
  
=======================================================  
  
  
The three eyed demon watched Buffy and Xander from across the street, from behind a tree as they talked to each other. The demon couldn't hear what they were saying, but he didn't care. All he was waiting for was an opening for his attack. As Buffy leaned into Xander, he smiled as his opening presented itself. Moving so fast that he seemed to glide he made his way across the street to attack.  
  
Xander leaned into the kiss, as did Buffy. It started out gentle, like a soft caress of the hand to the face. Then as they leaned into it more, it grew more passionate.  
  
Buffy was overwhelmed by the sensation as she leaned into the kiss, but all of the sudden she started feeling another sensation. A sensation she called her spider sense, but before she could brake off the kiss both her and Xander were knocked off their feet.   
  
As Buffy tried to get back to her feet, the demon grabbed her by the back of her shirt and slung her into the street.   
  
Buffy heared her shoulder pop as she hit the pavement, but that was nothing compared to the feeling of it. When she looked up the demon was coming towards her. He seemed to have forgotten about Xander, either that or he didn't see Xander as a threat as he walked right past Xander, who at the moment was just making it to his feet.   
  
As the demon made his way towards Buffy his third eye on his forehead started glowing dark red as if it were on fire. When he was within striking distance of Buffy he reached down towards her only to have Xander stab him in the back with a stake that Xander had been carrying just in case they ran into trouble. Unfortunately this trouble would need more than a stake, which Xander soon found out as the demon turned his attention towards Xander like he was an annoying bug which was fixing to be stepped on.  
  
Xander backed up a few steps, but it wasn't enough as the demon picked up a struggling Xander as Buffy watched in horror, wanting to get up and help, but as she tried to get up the sudden surge of pain from her shoulder sent her back to the pavement.   
  
Xander felt like a sack of potatos as he was flung into the air over the demon's head. He kept struggling, but it just seemed to make the demon more mad. For some reason Xander thought about the last time he was in this position. He was about eight years old and his dad was holding him over his head. Xander remembered he use to pretend he was superman as his father held him up for what seemed like the last time. All of the sudden Xander felt like he *WAS* superman as went flying through the air. The only problem was...he was flying straight into a tree.   
  
=============================================================  
  
Back at the library:  
  
  
Giles had just gotten off the phone with the council and was sitting in silence, looking at nothing inparticular, when a noise from outside of his office startled him. In wasn't a loud noise, more like a whisper or a slight singing.  
  
Giles was torn between shutting the door to his office or letting his curiosity get the best of him. He lost the fight with his curiosity as he slowly stepped out of the office, peaking around in a manner that seemed to say he really didn't want to come out of his office, but couldn't stop either. When he looked around he didn't see anybody...or anything for that matter. Then, his   
attention was turned towards the open window above the stacks.   
  
"I don't remember opening that." Giles said as he went up the stairs to the stacks and closed the window.  
  
"I opened it." said a voice from behind him, to which Giles turned around so fast he knocked one the books over that lay on the table under the window.  
  
"I thought I'd came by for some training." V-Buffy said smiling as she stood at the bottom of the steps leading up to the stacks.  
====================================================================== 


	16. Choices

Chapter 16: Choices  
  
  
  
If Xander was superman, he just met his kryponite as he hit the tree, falling to the ground unconscious.  
  
Seeing Xander fall to the ground like a rag doll seemed to kick Buffy into gear as she got to her feet, ignoring the pain coming from her shoulder, and came towards the demon with an assortment of kicks and punches that sent the demon to his knees. However, that still didn't stop her. The only time she stops is to take out a stake from her pocket as she sees the demon's third eye start to glow.   
  
The demon, who is now on his back, looks up and sees what looks like a force of nature. Then in a matter of seconds he feels his head feel like it's about to explode.   
  
Buffy moves back a few steps as she watches the demon grab at his eye on his forehead where she stuck the stack, then he vanished as if time itself devoured him up.   
  
After she watched the demon disappear Buffy stared at the ground for a few moments, then looking up, she ran to Xander.  
  
"Xander! Xander!" she shouted as she turned him onto his back.  
  
She went to check for a pulse, when suddenly she felt his hand move slightly as he slowly came back into consciousness.  
  
"I'm fine dad--j-just next time don't drop me." Xander said as he looked up at Buffy with a glassy look to his eyes.  
  
Xander's comment made Buffy smile as she waited for him to slowly come back to reality.  
  
Xander looked up at Buffy like he saw her for the first time, "Buff, where--wha..." He was cut off by Buffy's finger to his lips.  
  
"Shhh...you need to wait till you're over your flying lessons until you try to form a sentence." Buffy said as a smile came to her face.   
  
All of the sudden Xander seemed to remember everything that happened, the demon throwing Buffy into the street, him stabbing the demon with a stake, to no avail, and the most painful memory, the demon playing catch with the tree...with him being the ball.  
  
After all this sunk in his looked behind him and then at Buffy, "Where's the demon?"  
  
"He's....dead."  
  
Xander started smiling, "That'll teach him to mess with the girl from..." He then realised what she said as he stopped smiling and looked at Buffy intently.   
  
"But if he's dead how do you get ho...." He stopped once again, not wanting to say the obvious, but it didn't matter because Buffy finished for him.  
  
"I don't." she said in a manner that broke Xander's heart.  
============================================================= 


	17. Stranger in the Night

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 17: Stranger in the Night  
  
  
  
As Xander and Buffy made their way back to the library Xander began to understand what the expression, "So quite you can hear a pin drop," meant.   
  
As they walked he kept thinking back to the weeks after what he thought was Buffy's death. How he'd shut down unable to do anything but eat and sleep and even that was hard. However, the worst part about those few weeks, that he didn't realize until just recently, was the many times he had prayed to God to bring Buffy back. Well, he got his wish as glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but he knew that this Buffy was not a gift from God, but a Buffy from another reality. His Buffy was...{just as he thought it the image of his Buffy's face, changing into that of a vampire, popped into his head.}  
  
So another expression seemed to dawn to him, {Be careful what you wish for}.   
  
This realization made Xander even more sad as he and Buffy continued towards the library.  
  
Just as Xander was doing so was Buffy, but her thoughts were a reality away. She kept thinking about how she just may have killed her only way back. She felt like screaming out loud to no one inparticular. She had accepted her destiny, reluctantly at first, but with the help of her friends she finally had accepted her role as the slayer, but then she loses Angel to Angelus and if thats not enough, she gets thrown into another reality and now she may never get back. After thinking this she starts walking faster as if on a mission. This sudden change in her caught Xander's attention.  
  
Before he could say anything Buffy spoke out loud as he caught up with her, "I have to get to the library and find a way back." she said not stopping or slowing down.  
  
Xander could see Buffy was starting to act like she was on the verge of a breakdown.  
  
  
"Buff, stop." he said as he stood in front of her.  
  
"Xander move!" she said forceful to Xander.  
  
When he didn't, she tried to walk past him only to have him grab her and turn her around.  
  
"Xander, please." she said on the verge of tears, but he didn't let go instead he did the opposite, grabbing ahold of her and trying to bring her into his embrace while she tried to break free from him.   
  
Her struggle was for not because she was already broken.  
  
Even though it killed him to say it he knew what she needed to hear, "We'll find a way for you to get back." Xander said as she fell into his embrace and started crying on his shoulders.  
===============================================  
  
The scene:Outside the bronze  
  
  
We see a woman, mid-twentys, dark hair walking out of the bronze as she's talking on a cell phone.  
  
"Where are you Steve?" she says talking to the answering machine in an irritated voice, "I've been waiting for two hours!"  
  
"Steve pickup. I know you're there. I swear this is it. If you don't pickup it's over!"   
  
After a moment she turns off the cell phone and continues to rant to herself just as a chilly gust of wind sends shivers down her back as the hairs on her neck stand up. She stops momentarily and turns around.   
  
  
Nothing.   
  
  
Nothing, but the sound of the wind.   
  
  
She turns back around and starts walking faster as she turns the corner and bumps right into....  
  
  
"Ahhh!"   
  
  
After seeing who it is she calms down, but only until she begins her tirade, "Steve, where have you been? I've been waiting for two hours. I called you.....what's wrong? Are you okay?" she asks as her tone of voice goes from mad to concerned.  
  
"I'm fine, just a little dehydrated." he says as he grabs ahold of her while his face changes and buries his fangs into her neck.   
  
She starts yelping for help against his embrace. Just when she feels like giving up she feels that same chilly gust of air that she'd felt earlier, but this time a figure was approaching, not a figure...a man.   
  
At that moment she found enough strength for one more cry for help as the man walked up near her and Steve, who thought his dinner was being endangered as he momentarily stopped his feeding to look at his potential opponent.  
  
"Hel..p me." she choked out, clearly breathing her last breath.  
  
Steve was ready to fight for his meal, but was surprised by what the man said, "Your not my concern." the man said before continuing down the street on his mission.  
  
Steve smiled as he buried his face back into the woman and finished his feeding. It didn't take but maybe ten seconds because she was already almost drained when the man inturrepted. Just after he finished Steve looked back up at the direction the man went, thinking about having seconds, but saw no one.  
  
==================================================  
  
  
After a few seconds of taking confront in Xander's arms Buffy looked up at Xander who gave her a slight smile just as she started to unattach herself from him, "I think we need to get....Xander finished for her, "To the library."  
  
After a moment passed between them she led the way as Xander watched her go.   
  
  
{You're doing it again Harris, and just when you think you've gotten over her...}   
  
  
It didn't take long for them to reach the school as they crossed the street to it. When they were just in front of the steps to the front doors they heard a loud crash from within the school. Xander was the first to react as he ran up the stairs to the doors, only to found them locked.   
Xander quickly turned towards Buffy, "They're..." He didn't get to finish as Buffy flew past Xander and kicked the doors in, "Nevermind." he said following Buffy in a sprint towards the library.  
  
Buffy was the first to the library as she pushed the swinging doors open only to wish she hadn't because just as she had entered V-Buffy dropped Giles' body to the floor as she turned to face Buffy with blood on her lips.  
======================================================= 


	18. Buffy of Liberty

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 18: Buffy of Liberty  
  
  
  
Once Xander pushed his way through the library doors and saw Giles on the floor he knew that he shouldn't look up, but he did. He knew who's eyes he would be staring at.   
  
Her eyes.   
  
The same eyes he had fallen for.   
  
The same eyes he would die for.   
  
Except these weren't the same eyes that he loved, because when he used to look in these eyes he could see the soul beneath, but now nothing.  
  
"No." was all could he could manage as he stared at her.  
  
"What's wrong? Do I have something on my face." V-Buffy said smiling.  
  
Xander just stood there, not wanting to believe Buffy could do something like this...even without her soul.  
  
V-Buffy's expression went from a smile to an expression of vengeance as she spoke, "I told you nothing will stop me from having what I want. If that means having to kill everyone you love." she said as she looked down at Giles, then back up with a smile as she continued, "Then, so be it."  
  
The whole time V-Buffy spoke, Buffy just stood in front of Xander as she stared down at Giles' body. Her anger slowly was getting the best of her. Usually that was bad for her opponent, but this wasn't like any opponent she'd ever faced. As she ran at V-Buffy she would soon find that out.  
  
V-Buffy was waiting for her moment and she pounced.   
  
She pounced on it like a cat would a mouse, playing with it, tossing it up in the air and then going in for the kill. Just as Buffy charged her V-Buffy blew the powder she had in her hand out at Buffy. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks as if she were in cement unable to move, but the only problem was that it wasn't only her legs that couldn't move, it was her whole body. She was like a statue as she stared at V-Buffy, helpless.   
  
V-Buffy smiled as she looked at the paralyzed Buffy before looking at Xander, "Wow, the Magic shop owner was right about the powder, maybe she will come in handy."  
  
Xander watched as the events unfolded in front of him and just when things seemed like they couldn't get worse...they did.  
  
"Come with me quietly or I kill her." V-Buffy said looking at him.  
==============================================  
  
Scene:Outside the Magic shop   
  
  
"Thank you and come again." the shop owner said as she handed Willow a bag and followed Willow out of the Magic shop with her fangs showing as she licked at them, but when Willow turned around she transformed back into her human face.  
  
"Bye." Willow said in her usually chipper mood as she met up with her boyfriend down the street.  
  
  
"Hey." Oz said as he came up to her with a nod towards the shop owner, who nodded, turned around and muttled, "Damn!" under her breath as she locked the shop up and decided to go find someone who might be alone, making them a easier kill.  
  
"What's in the sack? Oz asked.  
  
"Well, I was thinking maybe I could help Buffy you know maybe..." Oz finished for her, "A spell." he said getting a look from Willow that looked like a don't get mad look.  
  
She was buckling under his concerned look and knew she had to ease his concerns, "Its just...I've been dabbling."   
  
When she saw Oz start to say something she panicked, "Not dabble, more like a tap or a wave, like Hi Magic! Bye Magic!" she said with a wave. Then she took a much needed breath, "Are you mad?"   
  
Despite Oz's concern for Willow he smiled. He couldn't help but smile at her every time she started to babble. He brought her to him and kissed her on the forehead, "No, just a worrying boyfriend."   
  
"I like a worrying boyfriend. Well, maybe not all the..." before Willow could finish she felt a big gust of wind that dropped her straight into the arms of Oz, who also seemed to be a little off balance.  
  
Before Willow or Oz could even say a thing a man seemed to appear out of nowhere, "You're friends of the slayer." he stated simply.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked looking at them both.  
  
They didn't answer, mainly because they were still a little caught off guard.  
  
He could see their apprehension and didn't feel like waiting for them to snap out of it, so he continued on his mission as he walked down the street.  
  
Willow and Oz looked at each other and then towards the man who was moving down the street, almost as fast as he appeared.  
  
"This is bad." Willow said as she turned to Oz.  
  
"Maybe we should follow him." he said.  
  
Just as they started to fall in step behind him the man simply threw his left hand up into the air in a dismissive way, not missing a beat as continued down the street. This action sent both Willow and Oz flying backwards onto the ground.   
  
"Maybe not." Willow said as they both got up.  
================================================ 


	19. Temptation

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 19: Temptation  
  
  
  
After Willow and Oz's encounter with Mr. Wind they made their way to the school. As they entered the library they saw Buffy just standing in the middle of the room. Willow was about to go to her friend when she saw Giles lying on the floor.   
  
"Oh God, Giles!" Willow said as her and Oz made a dash for him.  
  
"Buffy, what happened?" she said without looking up. When she got no answer, she looked up to see Oz waving his hand in front of Buffy.  
  
Willow was about to go to Buffy when she felt Giles' hand slightly twitch.  
  
"He's alive!" Willow said as she turned her attention back to Giles.  
  
"We have to get him to a hospital."  
  
"What about Buffy?" Oz asked as Willow ran to the phone.  
  
Just when Willow was about to answer Oz she saw Buffy's hand start to move as she slowly came to.  
  
"Buffy are you OK? What happened?" Willow said as she put the phone down and ran to her friend as she and Oz help balance Buffy.  
  
"I-I don't know, the last thing I remember is...(she stopped and looked around) Oh God, where's Xander?"   
  
==================================================  
  
Scene: Somewhere outside the town of Sunnydale  
  
  
  
Xander is sitting on a bed with his arms tied to the posts. It had been two hours since he left Buffy and Giles in the library. He prayed that Buffy was okay and Giles...well, he didn't know about Giles either. Just as he started to wonder why he was still alive he heard her, the person that was his life and possibly his death as she strolled into the room like a dark angel, dressed in black. Despite this she still seemed to light the room with her presence.  
  
Xander was in awe, but something else he noticed was she was carrying something with her as she made her way towards the bed.  
  
"Hello, lover." she said as she got up onto the bed by his feet.   
  
Xander couldn't believe that the person that sat by him...no, make that the person that was crawling up to his face...{oh God! What's she doing} he thought as she slithered her body up the bed being sure not to lose contact with his body before stopping right in front of his face.  
  
"Mmm...I missed that." she said.  
  
For the first time in his life Xander was speechless. In fact he could hardly breath.   
  
"It's been awhile since we've been in the same bed together." V-Buffy said as she looked into his eyes.  
  
After she said that it brought back the memories of their last time, which was actually their first time together.   
  
e did before Buffy walked Xander home, only the word walk was more like running as they neared his house. They both knew the moment was right. As they made their way to his bedroom they didn't say a word, they didn't have to say a word because their actions would do all the talking they would need.   
  
What was the greatest night of Xander's life also became the greatest morning of his life as he woke up with Buffy in his arms.  
  
  
  
Ever since the night that Buffy was killed Xander had dreamt of being in Buffy's arms again.   
  
"Your dreams can come true if you want them to."   
  
With those words Xander is brought back into reality as he lays on the bed with his arms tied to the bed post, "What?"  
  
"I know what you've dreamt of because I've dreamt of it too. Ever since I've been turned." V-Buffy whispered into his face.  
  
Xander looked at her with wide eyes as he shook his head no.  
  
"Yes, all you have to do is say the word and it will be just like that night and more."   
  
"No." Xander said as he tried to break his arms free from the bed post, but all he managed to do was shake the bed which made V-Buffy even happier as straddled him.  
  
"Not until your turned baby." she said as she slowly slithered off of him.  
  
She then picked up what she carried into the room with her as Xander looked on in horror.  
  
"You still wear the same size, right?" she asked, holding up a pair of leather pants.  
==================================================  
  
Scene: The hospital waiting room  
  
  
  
Buffy can't think straight. One might say that her whole world is falling apart except for the fact that this isn't her world. But even though she knew that she also knew in a way it was.   
  
A nudge on her shoulder got her attention.  
  
"The doctor's coming." Willow said as Buffy got to her feet.  
  
"Are you Mr. Giles' family?" the doctor asked.  
  
Oz answers, "Yes." which draws a look from Buffy and Willow, to which Oz just shrugs.  
  
"How is he?" Buffy asks as she notices Willow grab Oz's hand for support.  
  
"He's lost a lot of blood, but he should be fine within a couple of days." the doctor said.  
  
"Can we see him?" Willow asks.  
  
"Sure, right this way." he says as he leads them to Giles' room.  
  
As they make their way into the room Buffy sees that Giles is saying something outloud, but she can't hear him. As she makes her way over to the bed with Willow and Oz behind her, she hears her name from Giles' lips, but barely enough to qualify for a whisper as he struggles to stay awake.  
  
Buffy was about to say something when all of the sudden Giles turned his head towards her as he seemed to just come to, "Buffy you have to stop her, she-she said that I was the appetizer to..." he didn't have to finish because Buffy knew the answer.  
  
"Don't worry we'll find him." Buffy said trying to assure Giles, but mostly herself.  
  
After they left the room Buffy turned to Willow, "I'm going after Xander."  
  
"Where? We don't even know where he is." Willow said.  
  
"I have to try Will."  
  
"Lets go." Oz said, but was stopped from moving foward by Buffy, "No I need you here in case Giles wakes up and remembers anything else."  
  
Willow and Oz reluctantly agreed as Buffy made her way out of the hospital and into the night.  
  
Willow usually would have kicked herself for not remembering to tell Buffy about their encounter with the mysterious man outside of the Magic Shop, but right now all she could think of was Xander.  
==================================================== 


	20. What, no tip?

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
  
Chapter 20: What, no tip?  
  
  
  
Buffy had been out searching for Xander all night without any luck. She searched everywhere she thought maybe her evil twin might be keeping him. She even searched the factory where Spike and Drucilla where held up in her reality.   
  
Her reality. {God I've almost forgotten that this isn't my reality} she thought as she sat in Giles' room with a blacket as her only cover to the cold around her.   
  
Buffy had been in this alternate reality for almost a week now and she had all but given   
up hope that she would get back to her reality since she had killed the Cytropyse demon that had thrown her into this reality. {At least I think that's what Giles called it}, Buffy thought as she heard mister knowledge guy start to wake up.   
  
"Buffy, where..." Giles started to ask before the numbing pain in his head took over.  
  
"Shhh, your in the hospital, remember." Buffy said as she tried to get him to sit back in his bed.   
  
"What happened?" he asked.  
  
"You had a run in with my...." she stopped herself when she heard the nurse come in to check his IV.  
  
Once the nurse left Buffy was about to continue when Willow and Oz came into the room. Willow with some dognuts and Oz with some coffee. Buffy had told them to go home and get some rest after watching Giles all night while she was out looking for Xander, but it seemed it was to no avail.  
  
"I thought I told you two to go get some sleep." Buffy said, as she accepted the coffee from Oz with a grateful smile at them both.  
  
"We figured you'd need some sugar and caffiene to keep you going, besides I can't sleep until we find..." Willow trailed off, knowing that everyone knew who she was talking about.  
  
After a moment, Willow continued, "Also I came back because there was something I forgot to tell you last night."  
  
========================================================  
  
Scene: Just outside the town of Sunnydale   
  
  
Xander had been tied to the bed all night. The only way he knew it was day now was because in the room that he was in had a window about twenty feet above him that was mostly opened so Xander could see some light shining through against the wall on the other side of the room. He kept trying to tug at the ropes, but the only thing he was rewarded with was rope burns that were so bad he felt like his hands were going to just fall off. He still didn't know why he was alive. "Not that I'm complaining here." he said out loud as he looked up towards the ceiling.  
  
"Shut up, human!" the vampire outside his door said as he made his way into the room with a tray of what looked like food.  
  
"Uh, I didn't order room service." Xander joked, trying to focus his attention away from the numbing pain in his wrists.  
  
"Eat." the vampire said as he shoved the tray over towards Xander.  
  
Xander looked at the tray and was shocked to see that the food didn't look all too bad. In fact, it looked alot better than the stuff he was used to eating.  
  
"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate your service, but....."  
  
"Eat or I eat!" the vampire said as he morphed into his vampire face.  
  
Despite the vampire's threat Xander continued, "How can I eat if my hands are tied!" he shouted at the vampire, with anger and a little bit of fear that he was trying to hide.  
  
The vampire looked at him with a little hesitation before he walked over to the bed that Xander was tied to, "If you try anything, I feed. I don't care what she says."  
  
Once he was done untying Xander's left hand the vampire stepped back and stood about ten feet from the bed with his arms crossed.  
  
Xander didn't like an audience watching him eat, actually he didn't care if someone or in this case something watched him eat it's just he was hoping that the vampire would leave so he could try to escape.   
  
"Uh, I'm sorry, but I left my money in my other pants so I'll have to tip you later." Xander said as the vampire stood with an smirk on his face.  
  
"You have a quick tongue, lets see how quick it is when I rip it out." the vampire said.  
  
"I don't think your master would like that." Xander said, {maybe I do have too quick of a tongue} Xander thought after the words left his mouth because his statement just seemed to make the vampire more angry.  
  
"She's not MY MASTER!" the vampire growled as he came towards Xander.  
  
Luckily for Xander, his hand was starting to get the feeling back in it, so he grabbed the fork on his tray and stabbed the vampire in the chest, making the vampire jump back in pain.  
  
"That's it! Now I'll rip out more than just your tongue." the vampire said as started to lunge for Xander only to have someone grab him from behind and sling him against the wall where the sun shined through.  
  
The vampire scurried out of the sun with only flesh burns as V-Buffy approached him.  
  
"You touch him again and I'll make sure you go the rest of eternity without fangs." V-Buffy said as she held him up off the ground by the throat.  
  
==========================================================  
  
"Mr. Wind?" Giles asked.  
  
"Well, that's what I'm calling him since he just (Willow threw her hands out in front of her) us away like we were nothing."   
  
Willow was telling Buffy and Giles about the run in Oz and her had with the man outside of the magic shop last night.  
  
"Hmm..."   
  
"Giles please don't tell me there's a demon named Mr. Wind?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Huh? What? Uh..no." Giles said with an annoyed glance towards Buffy before continuing, "I mean I hope not."  
  
"I'll need to do some research." Giles said as he tried to get out of bed with his head aching a little, but the main thing that kept him glued to the bed was the sudden draft up his backside that told him he needed more on than just the hospital gown before he tried to check out.  
  
The look on Giles' face normally would have made Buffy laugh, but right now she was sleep deprived and Xander was still missing, "Fine, you check out and do the research. I'm going hunting." Buffy said, putting her empty coffee cup down on one of the tables by Giles' bed.  
  
"Buffy I'm worried about Xander too, but if you were to run into this, umm...mystery man that Willow and Oz ran into you wouldn't know what you're up against." Giles said.  
  
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, besides its daytime I doubt he's out and about." Buffy said as she made her way to the door.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Scene: Outside of the espresso pump  
  
  
A little boy who looks to be about five or six comes running out of the espresso pump and bumps into a man, making the boy fall to the cement scraping his knee.   
  
We focus in on the man the boy bumped into. He seems hesitant as he looks at the kid who starts to cry for his mother as she comes out of the expresso pump a couple of seconds later, "How many times have I told you not to run off like that. I'm sorry." she says to the man as she picks the boy up off the ground.  
  
"It's okay. I know what it was like to be a kid." the man says as he looks at the crying boy with some hesitation before continuing on down the street.  
============================================ 


	21. Is foreplay always good?

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 21: Is foreplay always good?  
  
  
Scene: Just outside the town of Sunnydale   
  
  
V-Buffy dropped the vampire to the ground as he scurried away like a cat with his tail between his legs.   
  
"And close the door on your way out." V-Buffy said innocently to the scurrying vampire.   
  
After the vampire closed the door V-Buffy turned towards Xander, "Alone at last." she said as she came towards him while he untied his other hand from the bed.  
  
"Oh, you want to play." she said as she flug Xander back onto the bed just as he was getting off of it.   
  
Xander knew that if he didn't do something soon he would lose his one opportunity of escape. So, when V-Buffy jumped on top of him Xander brought his legs to his chest and kicked her across the room. Usually being kicked across the room would piss off a vampire or anyone for that matter, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on V-Buffy.   
  
"There's my bad boy." she said with a smile.  
  
Xander jumped off of the bed as he took in his options. He knew he probably couldn't make it to the door faster than her, so he looked for something to defend his self with, but the only weapon he found was the spoon he picked up from his now destroyed plate of food on the floor.   
  
V-Buffy laughed, "Oh Xander, there's only one spooning I want from you." she said as she made her approach towards him.  
  
Xander threw the spoon at her and made a last ditch effort for the door, but to no avail as V-Buffy grabbed him from behind and threw him back onto the bed. It took a second for Xander to shake the cobwebs and that was all the time that V-Buffy needed as she snapped a pair of handcuffs onto his left hand. Xander tried to escape her grasp, but she was too strong as she handcuffed his left hand to the bedpost.   
  
"You'll never have me, even if you turn me." Xander said feeling that if he couldn't win the physical battle he would at least win the verbal one.  
  
This stopped V-Buffy momentarily as she looked at him. If Xander didn't know better he would've sworn he saw a little bit of his Buffy in her almost pained expression, but her pained expression was swiftly replaced with one of anger.   
  
"You can't resist me!" she screamed as she morphed into her vampire face, then after a second her face reverted back into the face that Xander had fallen in love with as she seemed to get control of her emotions.  
  
  
V-Buffy looked at him intensely, "It's so pleasurable, becoming one. The act of it is beyond ecstasy." she said in a honey laced whisper that made the hairs on the back of Xander's neck stand up. Xander seemed like he was temporarily in a daze as he looked into her eyes. After a moment passed he seemed to snap out of it and swung his free hand at V-Buffy, but she caught it with ease.  
  
V-Buffy looked at Xander's hand as she was overcomed with the hunger and bit into his wrist, still in her human visage, causing Xander to flinch in pain.   
  
After a second she stopped and looked up at him, "Oh, I'm sorry honey, but you know how much I love foreplay." she said innocently.  
=================================================  
  
Scene: Giles' place  
  
  
It was now getting to be dark as Buffy sat down in one of Giles' chairs, exhausted from her search for Xander.   
  
She had been searching all day and all she had to show for it was a pair of sore feet and tired legs. About two and a half hours ago she went to the hospital and found out that Giles had been released. When she got to his place Willow and Oz were leaving, saying that they were going to the library to pick up some books Giles thought might be more helpful in the research. Giles had wanted to go to the library to do some research, but Willow and Oz had finally talked him into staying home so that he could get some rest between research and he'd reluctantly agreed, but only because he was still filling the effects of his attack.   
  
"No luck?" Giles asked as Buffy sat down in the chair.  
  
"No." she said in a angry and defeated manner as she picked up one of the many books from the floor next to the chair and looked questionably towards Giles as she held up the book, "Twenty ways to skin a Locus demon?"  
  
"Yes...well, that's why Willow and Oz went to the library." Giles replied.  
  
Buffy put the book down and stared off into the other room in a defeated manner.  
  
"We'll find him." Giles said trying to comfort her.  
  
"Yeah, but when? When he's.....(she trailed off looking down at the ground for a moment and then continuing), "Too many people have died because of me." she said in a low voice.  
  
Giles knew that slayers go through alot in their lives, but what he saw in the expression of this young woman in front of him told him that she had maybe seen the worst.  
  
"What happened?" he asked thinking maybe if she'd talk about it she might feel better.  
  
Buffy just looked at him for a second.  
  
"In your reality, what happened?"   
  
Buffy looked hesitant for a moment and then started telling him about her reality, about her dying in the master's liar, about Kendra, about Angel, and lastly Angel losing his soul and killing Ms. Calender. After she was done Giles just sat back and let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding before looking back at her, "Buffy, you could not have known that sleeping with Angel would cause him to lose his soul any more than you could've known that Xander was going to be kidnapped here." he said taking a moment for his words to sink in before continuing, "We'll find Xander."  
  
Buffy looked up at him and nodded her head as she fought back the tears. Then, after a moment Giles continued, "And we'll get you back to your reality."   
  
At Giles' last remark Buffy's expression went from one of sorrow to one of realization, "My reality." she said as she got up.  
  
"Buffy?" Giles said in a questioning tone.  
  
"You guys keep researching this guy Willow and Oz encountered." Buffy said as she went to Giles' weapons trunk and grabbed some stakes from it before continuing, "I'm going to keep searching for Xander."  
  
"Buffy you've been all over town...(Giles was cut off by Buffy), "Not everywhere." she said as she closed Giles' weapons trunk and left.  
  
================================================  
  
Scene: Willy's  
  
  
"Just tell him that I need that shipment of O-positive in before Monday." Willy said as he hung up the phone in disgust.   
  
"Can you believe the nerve of that guy?" Willy said to one of the customers at the bar, who looked to be halfway normal. Well, except for the fact that he had a snake coming out of one of his huge ears.   
  
"Nice trick." Willy said before going to the other side of the counter.  
  
Someone steps into the bar as a slight chill of wind goes through the bar.  
  
"Could you please close the door, not all of us have a body temperture below freezing." Willy said while he polished off the counter.  
  
The man approached Willy, "I'm looking for someone."  
  
"Yeah, aren't we all. I can't help you with that, but I can offer you a....(Willy was cut off by a hand grasping his throat) "I want to know where SHE is!" the man says as he holds up a picture of Buffy towards Willy with his free hand.   
  
Willy would have tried to answer except two things stopped him, one being the fact that he could hardly breath, and the other being that someone beat him to it.  
  
"You want me. I'm right here." Buffy said at the doorway.  
================================================== 


	22. Never lurk

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 22: Never lurk  
  
  
Buffy had just left Giles' place a few minutes ago and now was making her way to Willy's. It never dawned on her to check out Willy's until she had that talk with Giles about her reality. She and Kendra had a run in with him when Spike was trying to restore Drucilla back to health, using Angel as the means.   
  
As she made her way to the door she saw a man who looked to be the size of Angel, only bigger, holding Willy over the counter by the collar of his shirt.   
  
"I want to know where SHE is!" the man said as he held up Willy over the counter.  
  
Buffy's spider sense went on alert. Somehow she knew this was the man that Willow and Oz had ran into.  
  
"You want me. I'm right here." she said as she stood at the doorway.  
  
After hearing Buffy the man let go of Willy who scurried to the back of the room saying, "Please don't break anything. I just had the place remodeled."  
  
"Do you know how long I've been waiting for this moment." the man said.  
  
"You know for some reason I don't care, and where did you get that picture from anyway?" Buffy asked as she now saw the picture of herself...well, her alternate self anyway.  
  
"Doesn't matter now. I don't need it anymore." he said as he tore it in half and threw it to the side as he started to attack her, but after a couple of steps he stopped and looked Buffy up and down, "Your human?"   
  
"Yeah, for some time now." Buffy said as she stood in a defensive stance.  
  
"I was told you were a vampire."   
=============================================  
  
Scene: Giles' apartment  
  
  
Giles is trying to clean up the mess in front of him, but he still feels weak from his encounter with V-Buffy. Just as he bends down to pick up another one of the many books on the floor a clicking sound is heard. Giles looks around the room as if he hears something, but then continues with the books as he starts to stack them on one another.   
  
"Where is Buffy?"  
  
After hearing the unfamiliar voice, or any voice for that matter, behind him Giles dropped most of the books he had in his hand, except for the one he used to hit the intruder with as he spun around swinging the book at anything it could find, knocking the intruder down.  
  
Giles was still weak and all the strength he had was used when he went on the offensive. However, he did manage to see a stake buried in the side of the couch. By the time that it took him to reach for the stake and turn around the man was standing up. The man looked at Giles with a smirk on his face.   
  
For the first time Giles had a clear view of his intruder's face.   
  
The man, or if he was a man, looked to be in his mid-twenties. However, he had a little bit of a goatee that seemed to make him look a little bit older than he probably was. His hair was as dark as a room with the lights out. He looked to be fairly built. He wasn't a body builder by no means, but he was built enough to were Giles felt like he was lucky to even knock him down at all. However, the eyes seemed to be the focal point of his whole face. They were like a world pool of brown, mostly hazel. There seemed to be an illumination about them.   
  
"I'm not a vampire." the man said looking at the stake Giles had.  
  
Giles didn't try to attack him for two reason's, one being that he was so tired from his earlier offensive attack that he didn't have much left in him and the other being that he was a little curious in what this man might have to say. However, Giles still kept his guard up with his stake in hand as he stood on the other side of the room from the man.  
  
"Who are you? And what do you want with Buffy?"   
  
"I must find her. Where is she?"  
  
If you're not a vampire, then what are you?" Giles asked the man who looked to be a little bored with Giles' questions as he sighed and looked behind him and took a seat on the stool behind him at Giles counter.   
  
"And how did you get in here if you're not a vampire? I didn't hear the door open."   
  
"I thought you watcher's were smart?" the man said as he remained seated on a stool in front of Giles' counter.  
  
Giles just stood without a response to the man's appearant put down as he looked around the room.  
  
"The window."  
  
Giles looked at were the man pointed.  
  
"You know, you really should start locking your windows. This being Sunnydale and all."  
  
Giles just stood in the middle of the room almost as if waiting for the man to attack him.  
  
"Nice place...for an Englishman I guess." the man said as he wiped his finger along Giles' counter, "Although, I thought you guys dusted more."  
  
Giles reached down and picked up a book and started going through it until he found a passage and starting chanting a foreign language out loud as the man watched on in amusement.  
  
After Giles was finished chanting all the books in the room disappeared even the one in his hand.  
  
"Now if you could only do that with the dust." the man said.  
=====================================================  
  
Scene: Outside of the room that Xander is kept in  
  
  
"What could she possibly be doing in there with him?" a vampire named Thomas said.  
  
"Gee...I wonder." a vampire named Simon said sarcastically.  
  
Thomas put his head to the door and reached for the door knob with his hand only to have Simon knock it away.  
  
To Thomas' questioning expression Simon motioned his hand towards the sign on the door knob that said, [If you hear slurpin, don't come alurkin]  
  
Thomas leaned back against the wall with a growl, "I didn't want to know anyway." he said in an unconvincing tone.  
  
"How old are you anyway?" Simon asked.  
  
"It's none of your business."   
  
Simon smirked, "Don't worry, when you're older we'll have THE TALK."  
  
Just as Thomas was about to reply another vampire appeared in front of Thomas. It was the vampire that V-Buffy had threated to rip out his fangs if he touched Xander again. Without warning he kicked the door open that Simon and Thomas were outside of and made his way into the room where V-Buffy and Xander were while muttering and growling something under his breath. He slammed the door shut after he was inside.  
  
Thomas looked at Simon who was equally stunned.  
  
Thomas looked at the door and then back at Simon, "Should we..."   
  
He didn't finish his sentence because the door opened up as V-Buffy stepped out a couple of feet dumping a cloud of dust out of her hands before looking at Simon, "I thought I TOLD YOU NOT TO LET ANYONE IN!"   
  
If Thomas didn't know any better he would've thought he saw Simon wet his pants right before he turned to dust.  
  
V-Buffy turned to Thomas, "You're in charge now." she said in a much calmer voice before turning and walking back into the room and shutting the door.  
  
"Great, there goes the talk." Thomas said looking at Simon's remains on the floor next to the vampire's remains who kicked in the door.  
  
After a moment the door opened and closed, but not before a pair of fangs were thrown out on the floor beside the remains of the vampire who came alurkin.  
===================================================  
  
Buffy looked at the man as he stood about twenty feet from her. Once the man said vampire, Buffy knew who he had to be talking about.  
  
"Ah...well, you see there is a vampire of me here...from this reality, but..."  
  
"Enough!" the man yelled, which seemed to scatter the rest of the occupants of the bar.   
  
Buffy wished that Giles was here to explain the whole alternate reality bit to this man because at this moment she didn't seem to know how to explain it clearly. Even if she did know how to explain it she would not have had time to as the man charged her.  
  
Buffy let the man come to her. When he threw a punch at her she ducked it and sent a kick to his ankle, making him slump from the impact. Then she sent another kick towards him, this time to his face, sending him back a few feet on the ground.  
  
Buffy ran towards him just as he was getting up. She tried to send another kick, but he caught her foot and twisted it. However, Buffy went with the twist and while in midair kicked him with her free foot sending him across the room onto the ground once again. This seemed to piss him off even more as he got to his feet.  
  
The man whipped his hands out in front of him towards Buffy. This sent her backwards as she slid across the floor until she connected against the wall. Buffy got up slightly dinged as she tried to focus.  
  
"It's not me you're after!" Buffy said, still trying to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen as he came at her again.  
  
Thinking quickly, Buffy picked up the only weapon in sight, a mop against the jukebox. She broke off the mop part with her foot, leaving only a long piece of wood with a jagged edge. When the man was within reach she swept the pole under his feet, sending him flying to the ground on his back.  
  
Before the man could get up there was a sharp object at his throat.  
  
"Now will you listen?" Buffy said.  
========================================================  
  
Scene: Back at Giles' place  
  
  
"I want answers now!" Giles said in a threatening voice.  
  
"Oooh...that must be the Ripper I hear so much about." the man said before getting up off the stool and taking a step towards Giles.  
  
Giles demeanor changed from an offensive position to a defensive one as he took a step back.  
  
The man stopped as he saw Giles' change in demeanor, "Look, I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm just here for Buffy." he said.  
  
Giles demeanor changed once again, "What do you want with her?"  
  
"To put her back were she belongs." the man said.  
=================================================== 


	23. The Calm before the Storm

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
  
Chapter 23: The Calm before the Storm  
  
  
  
Giles looked at the man across from him, "You mean...you know?"   
  
"That Buffy's not in Kansas anymore? Yeah, I know. In fact, it's the reason why I was called here."   
  
"Called here? Called here by whom?" Giles asked as his defensive attitude was quickly changing into one of curiosity.   
  
At Giles question the man looked like he was about to answer, but then stopped, "Look, I can't say. It would only complicate matters."  
  
"Complicate? I think matters are already too complicated." Giles said with a little anger.  
  
The man let out a little smirk "No, I don't think you know just *HOW* complicated matters really are."  
======================================================================  
  
Scene: Willy's bar  
  
  
The place was now empty, except for Willy, Buffy and the man. The ladder now on the ground at Buffy's mercy.  
  
"Will you listen now?" she said as she held the jagged piece of wood to his throat.  
  
He made a movement to get up, but it seemed Buffy didn't like that as she poked him a little with the broken mop. He looked up at her in a matter that told her he would listen. She backed up a couple of feet allowing him to get to his feet.  
  
"I still know how to use this." she said holding on to her only weapon.  
  
"Talk fast." he said as if he was buying his time.  
  
Buffy had been giving it her all just to get him to listen, only now she didn't know what to say or how to say it, "Uhh...well, you see I'm not from this earth." {GOD, he's going to charge me any minute now.}  
  
Contrary to Buffy's belief the man just stood there.   
  
"Ok...uh, you see the person you're looking for is from this earth. S-shes the one who's a vampire." Buffy said looking at the man hoping he would be either understanding or just plain crazy and believe her.  
  
Buffy was saved from an unlikely source, "She's telling the truth." Willy said out loud.  
  
Despite Willy's help Buffy felt like it was going to get violent again, but she was surprised when the man used words instead of action to be his response.  
  
"And how would you know this?" the man asked looking at Willy.  
  
"Because I've seen her, I mean the other her." he said nervously.  
  
This caught Buffy offguard, "You have?" she asked looking at Willy, then when she received a look from the man she corrected herself, "I mean you have." trying to sound convincing.  
  
"Said she was lookin for...uh, her destiny as she put it. Crazy gal." he said, then looked at Buffy, "No offense."  
  
Buffy was too worried about the man in front of her to respond to Willy's comment, but to her and Willy's surprise the man just started walking towards the door.  
  
Buffy hesitated for an moment, trying to figure out what just happened, then she looked at Willy, "When did you see her?"  
  
"A couple of days ago. Came in here for a snack. I had to offer her a couple of my best employees just so she wouldn't take me. What?" he said after seeing the look he received from her.   
  
Buffy started for the door to follow the man, but stopped and looked back at Willy, "Thank's for the save."  
  
"You think I did that for you? I was just trying to save this establishment from any more violence." he said looking around at some of the mess that was left behind until he saw the look from Buffy to which he corrected himself, "No problem, anytime."  
  
Buffy took one last look at Willy as she shook her head and headed for the door, more interested in why this man was looking for her evil twin. Actually, she didn't care why as long as he could lead her to Xander. When she walked out the door and looked both ways down the street the only thing she found was the wind whistling in her ears.  
=====================================================================  
  
Scene: Back at Giles' place  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Giles asked.  
  
Instead of answering Giles the man let out a sigh and started walking towards the door.  
  
"You're not going anywhere until you answer my questions." Giles said, taking a step forward.  
  
This stopped the man before he reached the door and turned around looking at Giles with a grin on his face, "Going all Ripper on me are you?"   
  
"You listen here whoever you are. You're not..."Reed." the man said inturrepting Giles.  
  
"What?" Giles asked.  
  
"My name is Reed and I'm going to bring Buffy back no matter what you say or do." he said before making a move for the door.  
  
Giles moved to stop him, but the man put his arm out and pushed Giles down with one hand, sending him to the ground with what seemed like a nudge. Giles regained his senses and got back to his feet as he looked at an empty room with the door wide open.  
====================================================================  
  
  
Buffy was pissed. She came to Willy's looking for answers, only to have more questions. She felt cold, she felt...she felt frustrated...she felt..., "No!" she yelled out loud, not wanting to let the tears flow as she now hurried down the street towards Giles' place with a determined look on her face.   
  
{I'm not going to cry. I've got too much on the line. Xander has too much on the line} Just at the thought of his name her thoughts seemed to stop as if something was forcing its way through, pushing all of her other thoughts out of the way. In fact, she was so entrenched in that thought that she bumped into someone coming from around the corner.   
  
"Whoa, little lady. Whoa!" he said looking her up and down. "You sure do look...tastyyyyy." the last part was strung out because he now looked straight at her face.   
  
"I-I'm sorry master...I d-didn't know you were...I thought you were...hey, your human." he said looking her over with a confused expression.   
  
Buffy grabbed him by the throat and flung him against the wall.  
  
"Oh, you're her." Thomas said as he struggled to talk under Buffy's grip.   
  
{Note to self} Thomas thought, {Why do I need air to talk since I don't breath}.   
  
Before he could even try to answer his own question Buffy asked a question of her own.  
  
"You know where she is, where Xander is, don't you?"   
  
When he didn't answer she lifted him off the ground by the throat, tighting the grip, and making him wish he really knew the answer to his own thought now.  
  
"Where is Xander? Talk now and I'll let you live." Buffy said through gritted teeth.  
  
"If I tell you she'll kill me." Thomas said finally getting a customed to his sudden state of levitation against the wall.  
  
"Oh, and I'm going to give you a lifetime suscription to PlayVamp."   
  
"Alright...alright, already! Just stop with the sex jokes."   
  
Buffy let him down as he grabbed at his neck to make sure it was still on, "How do I know that you'll let me live when I tell you." he said.  
  
"Well, you can't, but if you don't tell me in five seconds I'm going to tear your fangs out and make you eat them." Buffy said as she took a step towards him.  
  
"Okay Okay! God, you really don't know how much you two are alike." Thomas said wincing at the image.  
============================================================  
  
Scene: The library  
  
  
After Giles' meeting with the man who called himself Reed, Giles went to the library to get some of the books he had there since it appeared that he'd zapped his own collection to God only knows where. While he was there he thought it would be wise to contact the council and see if they might have any information on this Reed, but he wasn't having any luck.  
  
"Damnit!" he said as he walked out of his office.  
  
"No luck?" Willow asked as she sat at the table with Oz.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Everytime I try to get through the only thing I get is the automated customer service."  
  
"Oh." Willow said.  
  
"I'm afraid with all of the deaths in the council lately, they're probably trying to regroup. Call the next slayer."   
  
"What happened to the other one?" Oz asked.  
  
"Well, it seems that she was also killed by..." he trailed off not wanting to believe Buffy could do something like that even if she was a vampire.   
  
After Buffy's funeral Giles blamed himself for not being a better watcher, not protecting her, getting her ready for what she faced. He felt like if he would've trained her more, had more time. However, all of the pain he felt for months after Buffy's death was nothing compared to the pain of him finding out she was turned. Giles' attention was turned to the doors as Ms. Calender came in.   
  
"Jenny?" he said looking at her, wondering why she was here.  
  
"You didn't think I would just sit by and let you all deal with this alone, did you?" She asked.  
  
Despite the night he was having, her comment brought a smile to his face. Though, that smile was lost as she looked around the library and asked the question, "Where's Buffy? I mean, the other world Buffy?"   
  
"I haven't seen her since she left to go looking for Xander." Giles said as his voice lowered to one of worry.  
  
"You think she'll find him?" Willow asked.  
  
"Speaking of alternate reality girl." Oz said, looking towards the doors as Buffy came through them.  
  
"Load up with weapons guys, I think I've found him." she said, then stopping and looking at Jenny it seemed to take her a moment to refocuse, "Ahh...we-e have to hurry."   
  
Giles went to the weapons cabinet and took out some stakes and other vampire killing goodies as he passed them around to Willow and Oz.  
  
"What about me?" Jenny said looking at Giles.  
  
Giles handed her a crossbow as they started towards the door. As they left Giles saw Buffy toss what looked like a pair of fangs into the trash can by the door.  
=================================================================  
  
Scene: Back at V-Buffy's bedroom of love  
  
  
"You know, I didn't think you had it in you." V-Buffy said as she stood about ten feet from the bed that Xander was tied to.  
  
Xander didn't respond. In fact, he couldn't respond because he had a black stocking stuffed in his mouth.  
  
"Ahh, don't worry honey, you left me speechless too." she said, coming towards the bed.   
  
She was now wearing just the shirt that Xander had on when she kidnapped him, and because Xander liked baggy shirts it went almost to her knees. She climbed on the bed slowly as she took something out from underneath the shirt.  
  
Xander could barely focus enough to see what it was. He was still a little out of it from.....{OH God! What did we do?} he thought to himself unable to remember. Even though he was still a little out of it that didn't stop his eyes from almost coming out of their sockets as she pulled out the object.  
  
"Oh my...where did that come from?" she said innocently as she held out a stake in front of her.   
  
Don't worry, you won't be needing one of these anymore. In fact, it won't be safe for you to be around Mr. Pointy after I'm through with you.  
  
After saying this she looked up at Xander with a questioning look and then went and took the stocking out of his mouth, "You trying to say something honey?"   
  
"Buffy, listen to me. I love you. Please don't do this."  
  
V-Buffy looked into his eyes, "That's *WHY* I am doing this, so we can be together forever."  
  
Xander saw his only opportunity, "Give me one last request?" he asked.  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Let me kiss you while I'm still human." Xander said.  
  
V-Buffy wasn't expecting this. She suspected something was up, but she couldn't say no to him as she got on top of him slowly, looking at him with a little hesitation, before leaning down to kiss him.  
  
Just when she leaned down towards him Xander brought his head up towards hers, but not to kiss her as he headbutted her.  
  
It was safe to say that this act didn't go over too well with V-Buffy as she looked enraged, with her face changing, "Fine! If that's the way you want it then so be it!" she said before burying her fangs into Xander's neck.  
======================================================= 


	24. The Maze of Life

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
  
Chapter 24: The Maze of Life  
  
  
  
Oz, Willow, and Buffy rode in Oz's van while Ms. Calendar and Giles rode in Giles' car. Giles was deep in thought while he followed Oz's van. He was trying to get in his own game face in a way as they all made their way to save Xander. However, he was still worried about this Reed guy. He didn't have time to tell Buffy and the others. He did tell Willow and Oz about the visitor he had, but he didn't go into detail. In fact, pretty much all he said was "Man, Reed, intruder."   
Even Giles could be off his game somedays.   
  
"Rupert." someone said, snapping fingers in front of him as he stared straight ahead.  
  
"Rupert." Ms. Calendar repeated.  
  
"I heard you." he said not moving his face an inch as he continued to look straight ahead.  
  
"Oh, you looked like you were...."  
  
"Thinking?" Giles asked.  
  
"No, more like spaced out." Jenny replied.  
  
This got his attention, "Spaced out?" he said with a questioning expression on his face.  
  
"Oh I forget, you still go by the 13th century Webster dictionary, don't you?" Jenny was rewarded with a smirk from Giles.  
  
After a moment or two of silence Jenny spoke up, "Thinking about what?"  
  
"Huh...Oh...uhh, well, Xander mostly, a-and...umm.."  
  
"Buffy." Ms. Calendar said   
  
Giles let out a sigh as he continued to look straight ahead, "I don't know what to do."   
  
"What to do?" Ms. Calendar asked.  
  
"About this Reed character." Giles said still staring straight ahead as they followed Oz's van. Giles filled in Jenny about Reed on the drive to his place to pick more weapons. Now they were on their way to hopefully save Xander.   
  
"If he's telling the truth about his mission then he could help Buffy get back to her reality, but..."  
  
"But, you don't trust him?"  
  
"No." Giles said looking at Ms. Calendar and then back at the road, "And yes."  
  
Giles was about to explain, but she cut him off, "You don't want to believe him because if he's telling the truth you would lose her again."  
  
Giles looked anywhere that didn't have Jenny's eyes.  
  
"Are you going to tell her?"   
  
This got him to look at her, "Of course, how could I not?"   
  
After spitting that out a little hard his expression softened as he gave her a smile.  
  
"Let's just get Xander back and then we'll worry about this Reed character." Ms. Calendar said.  
  
Giles seemed to firm up as he looked back at the road, "Yes, lets."  
  
.................  
  
  
Meanwhile in Oz's van Buffy was having thoughts of her own. {I may have lost my way back to my reality, but I won't lose Xander. If I have to stay here it's going to be with all of my friends}   
  
Buffy was in the back of the van as Oz and Willow were in the front. As Oz turned the corner to the street of the address the vampire had given her it just occured to her that what if the vampire was lying to her. She mentally kicked herself for being too impulsive and killing the vampire, especially since her last impulsive action resulted in Angel losing his soul.   
  
Going down that road of thought just made her think more and more about her reality, especially the loved ones she wouldn't be seeing anymore. Sure, she would see her friends here, which in almost every way are her friends, but it still wouldn't feel the same. {God, snap out of it girl} she thought to herself as she got back into Xander savage mode.  
  
  
"That's the place." Buffy said pointing towards what looked to be a two story house, before thinking {I hope}. The house was white with a black trim. It looked fairly normal. In fact, it looked too normal. It looked like a place where a couple would begin their lives together and raise a family in. This only freaked Buffy out more because now she had a feeling that the vampire was lying to her.   
  
As they came to a stop outside of the house Buffy got out followed by Willow and Oz as Giles and Ms. Calendar pulled up behind the van in Giles' car, which made a clanking noise as it came to a stop.   
  
{At least some things are always the same} Buffy thought to herself before seeing Ms. Calendar and Giles getting out of his car. {Well, some things} she thought as she looked at Ms. Calendar.  
  
"Okay, you guys ready?" Buffy asked looking at them. She didn't need a response because she saw it in all of their eyes.  
  
Oh yeah, they were as scared as she was.  
=======================================================  
  
  
  
In a way life is like a maze.   
  
You go into the maze trying to find your way, your meaning.   
  
Along this journey through the maze there are many turns, many decisions to be made.   
  
Some are small, some are not.   
  
Many people take the wrong turn and don't recover.   
  
Some are unable to recover either because they haven't the opportunity or the means.   
  
The lucky ones, however, recover and find their way.   
  
They find their meaning.   
  
Others a normal life that they can be proud of.   
  
They go through the rest of their lives with a somewhat happy life until ultimately they come to the end of the maze.   
  
In life V-Buffy was one of those who took the wrong turn, or in her case punched when she should've kicked.   
  
However, what she couldn't find in life, she found in death.   
  
Yes, she had made her way through the maze.   
  
Just not the way most do.  
  
  
  
As she stood at the window V-Buffy could see them coming. She smiled as she walked away from the window.   
  
"Thomas!" she yelled.  
  
"Thomas!" she repeated, this time with a little fury because of the lack of response.  
  
  
One of the vampires came into the room with his head down, too scared to look her in the eyes, "T-Thomas w-went out hunting." he said more scared than he'd every been in his unlife, which granted was only about two days, but...  
  
"He what!" V-Buffy said furious that she had been defied.  
  
"I told him...(she broke off getting ahold of the rage of her demon inside), then looking back at the newly turned vampire, "Gather everyone and get ready."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"My destiny." V-Buffy said turning back towards the window.  
  
"Yes master." he said before turning and running into a stake. He looked up in shock as he turned to ashes.  
  
"*Our* Destiny." said the person that staked the vampire.  
  
V-Buffy turned slowly around with a smile, "Of course honey, *Our* destiny."  
===========================================================  
  
  
Buffy made her way towards the front door of the house. {This is too easy. Where's the welcoming committee} she thought as she reached the door.   
  
She looked back at Giles and the others before raising her leg to kick in the door. Just when she was fixing to kick the door, it slowly opened. It was almost as if the house was welcoming them.   
  
Buffy looked back at Giles and the others before turning around and taking a step into the house.   
As she crossed the threshold of the house she expected to see an army of vampires, demons, or even her Vamped self, but she was surprised to see nothing. Nothing except pitch black. In fact, the only light she had was from the night sky that came through the opened door.   
  
Buffy was the only one at the moment inside the house as she took a couple of steps to her left with her arms in front of her, ready for anything that came her way. The only thing she found was a cold, smooth wall. She felt around for the a lightswitch along the wall, but came up empty. Her spider sense was in overdrive and it wasn't until she moved to her right that she knew why.   
  
"Giles! It's a.... (before she could finish the door slammed shut as Buffy heard several locks clicking, leaving her alone in the darkness.  
============================================================  
  
{A few minutes earlier}  
  
  
Reed leaned against a tree as he watched the big two story house from across the street. {Talk about Irony} he thought to himself. He looked at the house as the memories came flooding back to him. He was only a boy, twelve to be exact, but he could see it like it was yesterday.   
  
  
  
  
"Reed the sun has almost set, get in this house!" yelled his mother from the front porch.   
  
"Just a minute mom!" he yelled as he stood in the street.   
  
He was playing touch football with about ten of the neighbor's kids. However, touch wasn't exactly the word he would always use because it got to be aggressive on more than one occasion. He turned his attention back to the game, but not before seeing his father join his mother on the porch.   
  
He looked over at the other team as he prepared to hike the ball. His team was down five points and he knew this would be his team's last opportunity to score and win, but he had two obstacles to overcome. One being the sun was setting, meaning he didn't feel like playing football with vampires, and the other being JJ Peak.   
  
Reed would've been the biggest kid on the block if it wasn't for JJ. He was eleven, but looked like he was about sixteen. He had four inches and about fifty pounds on Reed. Reed and JJ hardly ever got along, but they continued to play against eachother, if for nothing else the competition. Reed was the only boy on the block that didn't seem afraid of JJ. Reed stared down JJ who had his teeth baring, while spitting out insult after insult at Reed.   
  
"Yeah Reed, hurry up so you can go to your freak show of a family!" JJ yelled.  
  
This made Reed seeth in anger as he gripped the football by the laces. He could care less what people thought about him, but when someone put down his family, well, lets just say that he'd been suspended once from school because of what he did to a boy who was saying the same kind of thing that JJ was doing right now. Reed seethed in anger as he gripped the football by the laces. As he gripped the ball it felt like it was loosing air.   
  
This was the moment that Reed would remember for the rest of his life, not because it was the game deciding point, but because it was the moment that would change his life forever. Sure he had let his rage get the best of him before, but this was different. Reed knew he was different. He'd always been told to control his anger because if he didn't he could end up hurting others or himself, but in many ways Reed was like any other child. Carefree, innocent, and immature. However, that would all change with simple snap of the ball.  
  
Letting his rage get the best of him Reed screamed hike as the players on his team took off down the street. However, Reed was so overcome in anger that he wasn't even looking at them. He was only looking at JJ, who at that moment was counting down the five mississippi. After he finished his countdown, JJ rushed towards Reed.   
  
Reed brought his arm back just as JJ was rushing at him. However, Reed wasn't trying for the winning toss because all he saw was revenge as he let the ball go towards JJ's face. There was a sound that the ball made when it hit JJ's face that Reed will never forget as the boy hit the pavement. It was a cracking sound, followed there after by the sound of impact JJ's face made with the street.  
  
On that day one boy would lose his innocence and the other would lose his life.   
  
Throughout the next few years Reed wasn't the same. However, as time passed and with the help of his mother and father, Reed would learn to control his abilities and his anger.   
  
Whenever Reed felt like giving up or not doing what he was supposed to he would remember that day on the street that would haunt him for the rest of his life.  
  
  
  
  
Although that day was the worst of his life, it was also one of the most important. It kept him cool and calm, especially in times like these as he watched Buffy and the others pull up in front of the house and start towards it.   
  
He saw Buffy go in and the door slam behind her, leaving Giles and the others outside as they banged on the door.   
  
Reed was about to cross the street until he saw something down the road. He took a couple of steps back into the shadows as he watched a dozen or so vampires walk towards the two story house.   
=======================================================  
  
  
"Giles!" Buffy called out in the dark.  
  
"Buffy!" Giles yelled from the other side of the door as he tried to open the door.   
  
"Buffy are you okay?" Giles yelled through the door.  
  
"Yeah, except for the not being able to see factor. By the way, did I ever tell you that I'm not a big fan of the dark." she said as she turned away from the door, peering into the darkness. {This coming from one who spends most of her time in it} she thought as she heard Giles say that they were going to try to find a way into the house from the back.  
  
Buffy almost wished she was a smoker because then she might have a lighter or a match to give her some much needed light. However, she didn't need one as the lights suddenly came on.   
  
The light blinded Buffy for a moment, but she adjusted. She adjusted her eyes to see that she was in a corridor of some kind. After adjusting to the light she walked down the corridor with caution, ready for any attack that might come her way. As she made her way to the end of the corridor she found two ways to go. Both were corridors that looked just like the one she was in now.   
  
"Great, this day just keeps getting better." she muttered to herself before choosing the right corridor.   
  
She moves forward until she comes to the end of the corridor only to find two more ways to go. Letting out a frustrated sigh Buffy does the only thing that comforts her at the moment, which is squeeze the life out of the stake that she has in her right hand.  
  
"Alright, I've had enough of playing the mouse in a maze bit." she says looking up and down the walls that extent all the way to the ceiling.   
  
Buffy heard a laugh throughout the place that gave her the wiggins, "But you haven't even started running yet, why would you want to quit now." the voice that belonged to V-Buffy said.  
  
{Running?}Buffy thought until she heard growling from the way that she had came as ten vamps come from around the corner of the last corridor, but because of how small the corridors were it looked like a hundred.   
  
{Where did they come from} Buffy thought as she looked back and forth between the two ways she had to go and the vamps that approached her from behind. Buffy usually wouldn't be one for running from a fight, but she didn't like to fight in tight spaces so she chose the right corridor in front of her and prayed that it lead to somewhere that was a little more roomy.   
  
Buffy looked behind her a couple of times as she jogged her way through a couple of turns in the maze before coming to a complete stop and listening with her slayer hearing for any signs of the previous vamps, but there was none. It was as if they gave up. Usually Buffy would be grateful that ten vamps found her not worthy of a happy meal, but under the circumstances it gave her that not so pleasant feeling she called the wiggins as she looked up ahead to yet another corridor that extended two ways.   
  
Buffy knew from her previous outburst that V-Buffy could somehow hear her so she looked up towards the ceiling, "Why don't you come out and face me, or are you afraid I'll win?" Buffy said, hoping that the nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah approach to battle would work.   
  
Once again Buffy heard that awful laugh, "I'd love to, but someone has to keep Xander all warm, or should I say cold." V-Buffy said just as Buffy took off into a sprint, not knowing where she was going or who she would run into as long as Xander was there too.  
======================================================  
  
  
Meanwhile outside Giles and the others were trying to find a way into the house. Giles went to the window on the porch and tried to break the glass with his forearm, but only got a sensation of pain shooting up his arm for his troubles.   
  
"Damn!" Giles said as he held his arm and looked more closely at the window. From what Giles could tell it seemed to be made out of some sort of bullet proof glass. Which meant his forearm didn't stand a chance.  
  
So concerned about finding a way in, and his aching arm, was Giles and the others that they didn't see the vampires who were approaching them from behind, that is didn't see them until the vamps started up towards the porch as they growled, drawing Giles' and the other's attention to them.  
  
"Uhh...Rupert." Ms. Calendar said as she held onto her crossbow.   
  
Giles, Ms. Calendar, Willow and Oz were on the porch which had two ways off of it. One was right in front of them, which was the way the vamps were coming from and the other was to the right which lead down a dozen or so steps to the driveway leading to what Giles guessed was the back of the house, but he couldn't tell because just as he made his way towards the stairs he saw four vamps coming from around that side too. That made ten vamps, with the six coming from the front.   
They were surrounded and Giles knew that they couldn't take on ten vamps, mainly because they didn't have the firepower, not to mention the slayer. Giles cursed himself for not being more prepared for this.   
  
Giles had two shots at best in his crossbow, along with a cross. Jenny and Oz also carried a crossbow with two shots, but all Willow had was a stake and a cross. So that was six shots and ten vamps which would leave four on four, if they all hit their marks. Four on four would usually be great odds in any game, but the problem was this wasn't a game.   
  
Giles quickly decided that the best option was to try taking out the four vamps coming up the side of the porch and them make a run for it to the back and hope that they found a way in the house. Giles held out his crossbow, but was surprised when he heard a whoosh sound coming from behind him.   
  
As he turned his head he saw that Jenny was perhaps thinking the same way that he was as the arrow from her crossbow hit the lead vamp coming up the stairs on the right in the heart, instantly turning him to dust.  
  
Giles quickly brought his crossbow up just as Oz let an arrow fly towards one of the vamps that was starting to come up the front, dusting him where he stood. However, Giles' shot at the lead vamp coming up the right side of the porch wasn't as lucky. His arrow hit the vamp, but not in the heart as the vamp stumbled back into the other two vamps behind him, knocking them all to the ground. {Maybe it was a lucky shot after all} Giles thought as he yelled, "Run" pushing Willow and Oz in front of him with Ms. Calendar leading the way.   
  
Giles used his last shot to dust a vamp that was running up the stairs from the front, then turned and followed the others down the stairs leading to the driveway. When he reached the bottom of the stairs the vamp that he had shot above the heart was getting up, with the arrow still in him. Well, he was getting up until Giles used his crossbow like it was a bat and busted it across the vamp's face knocking him back to the ground, along with the broken crossbow.   
  
Giles was about five yards behind the others as he made his way down the gravel driveway.   
  
He took a glance behind him to see the three vamps on the ground getting up and joining in on the chase with the other five vamps that had jumped down from the porch. He looked back in front of him just as someone grabbed him around the throat. Willow was the first to hear Giles' struggle as she stopped and turned around, "Giles!" she yelled, stopping Oz and Ms. Calendar in their tracks.   
  
As Giles struggled for air he heard the voice that belonged to the hand around his throat say, "Oooh, look what I caught. Can I play with him?" in a innocent voice.   
  
Ms. Calendar, Willow and Oz stood in fear looking at the dark haired beauty until their attention was drawn elsewhere.  
  
"I'd told you we'd play love, but I meant with the slayer." came a voice from the darkness to the right, "But I guess a few appetizers wouldn't hurt." Spike said as his vampire features came to the surface.  
========================================================= 


	25. Forever

[Note:Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy]  
  
  
Chapter 25: Forever  
  
  
  
Buffy was turning in and out of corridors so fast that she was starting to get dizzy, but the thought of V-Buffy with Xander kept her going.   
  
She suddenly felt a burst of adrenaline as she saw a big opening in the corridor up ahead. As she approached the opening she slowed her pace and started creeping up, not knowing what to expect.   
  
When she made it to the opening she came upon a flight of stairs. Buffy looked up the stairway as she slowly made her way up them. When she reached the top stair should was staring into a room that was about twice the size of her bedroom.   
  
Buffy scanned the area only to find it bare, except for a door across from her on the other side. However, when she stepped into the middle of the room she turned around to see five open doorways each of them with stairways descending back into the maze.  
  
Buffy turned around as she slowly started walking towards the door across the room. Halfway to it her slayer senses went on alert as she heard growling coming from within the maze. She turned around, readying herself as vampires came out of all five passageways running at her.  
===============================================  
  
  
Spike smiled as he watched Drusilla look at Giles and vamp into her game face.   
  
Giles was trying to fight back, but because of the lack of oxygen he wasn't much of a challenge.  
  
Oz aimed his crossbow at Drusilla and fired, hoping that he didn't hit Giles. However, Spike caught the arrow inches away from Dru's face.   
  
"You better be careful with these things boy. You could put someone's eye out"   
  
"How bout yours" was the reply Spike got from someone to his left before being thrown to the ground with Drusilla as she dropped Giles.  
  
Spike was furious as he pushed his attacker off of him, "Slayer I'll... he broke off when he saw a man sporting a goatee getting up about ten feet from him.  
  
"Who the Hell are you?" Spike said after getting to his feet.  
  
"Let them go and this doesn't have to get violent" the man said as he stared down Spike.  
  
Spike laughed at this, "Well now, we can't have that can we?" he said before rushing the man.  
  
Spike came at him with a swing that the man ducked, then coming back up the man shoved Spike back to the ground. Spike had underestimated this man and he knew it. He thought him nothing more than a human, but it seemed he was wrong.  
  
Willow, Oz and Ms. Calendar were now helping Giles up as the other eight vamps surrounded them, waiting for Spike to give the order.  
  
Giles is still a little disorientated as he gets to his feet, with the help of Willow and Jenny, but he hears a familiar voice.   
  
"That's him" Giles mutters under his breath as he watches the confrontation in front of him.  
  
"What?" Jenny asks as Giles leans on her.  
  
"That's the man I told you about"  
  
All of the sudden Ms. Calendar and Giles heard a sound they know all to well as they turned to see a vamp that was about to grab them from behind holding onto a stake to his chest before turning to dust.  
  
"Well, I'll say one thing about him. He's got good timing" Ms. Calendar said as Giles and her were joined side by side with Willow and Oz as the remaining seven vamps seemed to back off a little, but not enough to disqualify them as a threat.  
  
"Violence it is" Reed says after throwing the stake before looking back at Spike who is now getting off the ground laughing.  
  
Spike as he gets up, reverts to his human face, "I like you, you have spuck. I'll tell you what, if your a good boy after I kill the slayer and her groupies here I'll do you a favor"  
  
"Oh, and what's that?" Reed asks as he reaches his hand slowly towards his jacket only to be grabbed by the back of the neck from behind.  
  
"I'll let Dru here kill you just once." Spike said grinning.  
  
==============================================================  
  
  
Buffy ducks under the attack of one vamp, pushing him to the ground as she comes up and kicks another vamp coming at her. Buffy's giving it her all, but there are so many vamps she is starting to get tired as she grabs ahold of a vamp's wild swing towards her and stakes him. When she looks up after staking the vamp she gets a fist to the face that sends her against the opposite wall. As she gets up two vamps meet her and grab her arms as they pin her against the wall. She knocks the one to the right off of her, only to have another take his place. They hold her against the wall as she struggles to get free. Buffy is then met by another vamp that walks up to her and grabs her by the throat.  
  
"I've always wondered what slayer blood tastes like." he says as the two vamps holding her start to wish that they were in his position.  
  
He smiles as he bares his fangs and lowers his head towards Buffy's neck.   
  
Buffy tries once more to free herself, but to no avail. She had dusted nearly twenty vamps and it had taken a lot out of her. A sudden rush of fear overcomes her as she anticipates the bite. Buffy knows the bite of a vamp all too well. She starts breathing hard as she remembers the master's bite. The stinging sensation of his fangs piercing the skin, the sensation of being pulled to him as he took her life source. It was an experience she didn't want to have again, but it seems she has no choice as she closes her eyes. Just as she closes her eyes she feels the sting as the vamp's fangs pierce her skin. Just like before, it was like a sharp needle being plunged into her neck, only this time there wasn't the sensation of being pulled to the vamp. In fact, the sting was all that she felt and then it was gone as quickly as it had came.   
  
Buffy opened her eyes just in time to see a cloud of dust as the two vamps holding her arms seemed to loosen their grips. At that instant Buffy probably could've swung the vamps off of her, but she was too busy staring straight ahead of her at Xander who had just finished off another vamp with a stake to the heart.   
  
That left only the two vamps holding her as most of the others ran back into the maze appearing to be afraid of the same fate as the others.   
  
Buffy felt a sudden rush of adrenaline as she swings her right leg up and kicks the vamp on her right arm, busting the vamp's nose as he releases her. That left only the vamp on her left arm which was no match as she reaches into her jacket, pulling out a stake and then jabbing the stake into the vamp's chest as he turns to dust with a shocked expression on his face.  
  
Buffy wastes no time as she races to Xander and swings her arms around him.  
  
"Whoa there Buff" he said as she hung onto him.  
  
"Xander I thought that I'd lost you. God, I was so worried"   
  
"Shh... Shh... I'm okay Buffy"  
  
"I've lost too many people. I couldn't have lost you too" she said as she buries her face into his shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry Buff I'll always be here for you. In fact, I'll be here forever"   
  
Buffy suddenly looked up into a face that she would never forget as Xander's sweet face was replaced with one of absolute evil. Buffy somehow found the way to push herself away from him as she backs up shaking her head, "X...X...Xander, Nooo."   
  
Buffy backed up against the door that she was about to go into a few minutes ago, "Why, why did you save me?" she asked as she felt for the doorknob behind her with her hand, but still focused on Xander.  
  
"Well, I couldn't just let him go and ravage you, now could I? I mean isn't that my job?" Xander said smiling, making his fangs seem even bigger.  
  
Buffy didn't even get to reply because the door which she was against suddenly was swung open. As she stumbled back she was caught by someone.  
  
"Watch your step." V-Buffy said as she grabbed Buffy and slung her across the room.  
  
Buffy gets up with tears in her eyes. As she gets up Buffy looks around the room she is in. It looks like a bedroom. There was a bed in the room that seemed to be fit for a king. However, the thing Buffy noticed most about the bed wasn't the size, but the engraving above the bed on the headboard. It read B/X Forever.  
  
V-Buffy smiles as she looks at Buffy looking at the bed, "You like it, I had it engraved myself. Well, actually I had someone else engrave it, but I did trace over it with his blood when he was finished"  
  
Xander smiled beside her until he looked at the bed, "Honey, how many times have I told you to put up the um..toys when we're through" he said as V-Buffy noticed for the first time what Xander was talking about as she smiled innocently at Buffy across from her and went to the right of the bed and pushed a button extending from the wall. After she pushed the button the bed shook as the crosses on the bed disappeared back inside of the bed.  
  
"Pretend you didn't see that." Xander said to Buffy with an apologetic expression.  
  
"What do you think lover? Should we kill her or have some fun first?" V-Buffy says as she looks at Buffy with a smile.  
  
"I don't know, two Buffy's couldn't be a bad thing. Maybe we could have some fun." Xander said as walks to V-Buffy and looks at the button, then at the bed before looking at Buffy with a smile.  
  
This earned a glare and a growl from V-Buffy as she looked at Xander and then back at Buffy, "Kill her it is!" she said before charging Buffy.  
============================================================  
  
Reed couldn't believe he'd let the woman vamp get behind him. He was so occupied with helping Giles and the others that he had lost his concentration and with what was at stake he couldn't let that happen again, even if it meant the other's lives.  
  
"You've ruined our fun" Dru says as she turns him around to face her while vamping out.  
  
Despite his lack of air Reed reached into his jacket with his left hand only to have Dru grab ahold of it and snip at him playfully, "Naughty, but don't worry princess knows how to deal with bad boys."  
  
Spiked smiled at the scene before him. That was one thing that he loved about Dru. She could look like a frightened kitten one minute and then a vicious animal the next. Well, that and the fact that she was his sire.  
  
Just at that moment there came an explosion of glass from the second story of the house as two people came flying out of the window.   
  
As Buffy hit the ground she heard her shoulder make a sound that she didn't like, even more so when the pain started to come. Fighting back the pain she got up and tried to take a defensive posture. At that moment something caught her eye to her left.   
  
"Giles!" she yelled seeing him and the others slowly being pushed back against the house.  
  
Buffy's sudden appearance drew Spike's and Drusilla's attention, giving Reed his opportunity as he wrapped his legs around Dru and using his free hand hit her in the face as she dropped him to the ground.  
  
Reed rolled to his right as he hit the ground, then getting back up he reached into the other side of his jacket and pulled out something that seemed to shine in the darkness as he threw it towards the vamps that were starting to wear down Giles and the others. It whistled through the air until it came in contact with a vamp as it went clean through his neck, until it hit another and another before coming back to Reed who caught it a foot away from his head, "Whoa, I really need to practice more" he said as three vampire heads fell to the ground, turning to dust.  
  
Buffy was so caught up in the show that she forgot about why she had came through the window in the first place. She was reminded with a fist from V-Buffy that sent her in the air before landing on the ground in front of a tree. As she got up she saw a tree limb sticking out. She broke off a sharp piece and looked back at V-Buffy. The only problem was now she wasn't only looking at V-Buffy because Xander had just joined her side after jumping down from the shattered second story window, armed with his vamp visage.  
  
"You really like it rough don't you?" he said looking at V-Buffy with a smile.  
  
"What can I say, I like foreplay" she said before charging Buffy.  
  
Buffy blocked her initial attack as they exchanged blow for blow. It was like fighting a mirror image of herself. Buffy looked for an opening to stake her vamped self, but found none.  
  
"You think I don't know what you're doing?" V-Buffy said laughing as they continued their attacks on one another.   
  
Neither one were getting the upper hand as they blocked each other's blows. That is until Xander joined in, "I know it takes two to tango, but mind if I cut in" he said sending a punch towards Buffy that sent her back against the tree.   
  
As her back connected with the tree she started feeling woozy. The only good thing about the feeling was that it almost helped her block out the pain. Almost, that is until she felt a pair of hands fling her up to her feet and shove her against the tree.  
  
"This may be a first. I don't know if anyone has actually ate themselves before." V-Buffy said before shrugging and lowering her fangs towards Buffy's neck. However, before she could get a taste of Buffy she was thrown to the ground by someone to her right.  
  
"This should be fun." Spike said before looking at Buffy against the tree, then back at V-Buffy on the ground with a questioning look, "What the bloody..." was all that Spike said before being lifted by the collar of his black duster and tossed in the air towards the house.  
  
Spike hit the side of the house with a loud crash as pieces of wood shattered from the house. As Spike looks up he sees Xander standing over him, "Looks like you've stuck your head in where it doesn't belong. Now I'll have to separate it!" Xander says looking down at him.  
  
"Bloody unlikely" Spike says as he sweeps his leg towards Xander's legs, knocking him to the ground.  
  
Spike picks up one of the sharp pieces of wood that shattered from the house as he raises it up over his head ready to bring it down on Xander's chest, "Looks like your the one who stuck his head in where it doesn't belong mate" he said as he brought the stake down.  
  
However, it was caught a couple of inches from Xander's chest by someone, "Mind if *I* cut in." Reed said before punching Spike in the face, sending him back a couple of feet.  
  
Spike once again got back up, "Not you again." he said in a frustrated manner, before continuing, "You know you really are starting to get on my nerves. Guess now I'll have to...{Spike stops when he hears Drusilla call his name to his right. He sees a now free Giles, Willow and Ms. Calendar backing her up to a tree with crosses while Oz has a crossbow pointing at her.  
  
"Dru" he whispers under his breath as he takes off to help her.  
  
Reed is about to stop Spike, but his attention is drawn behind him as he hears fighting. He sees a very tired Buffy trying to fend off both V-Buffy and Xander at once. Reed reaches into his jacket, but doesn't find what he is looking for. He looks around on the ground for the weapon he had used earlier on the vamps that were circling Giles and the others. Finally, he sees it laying about twenty feet from where he is. {I must've dropped it after helping Giles and the others fight the vamps}   
  
Reed hears a cracking sound from Buffy's direction. What he sees terrifies him. Buffy is now up against the tree with Xander and V-Buffy both holding her there. From the sound of the crack Reed knows that Buffy broke a couple of ribs and seems to be in no shape to fight back as she was against the tree helpless. Reed then saw the most horrific scene he'd ever seen. V-Buffy and a vamped Xander lowering their heads together towards Buffy's neck as they started feeding.  
  
Reed knew he couldn't get to Buffy in time, but that didn't stop him from trying as he dashed towards her direction only to feel a gust of wind that almost made him lose his balance as he came to a stop. However, V-Buffy and Xander were not so lucky as they went flying through the air until landing about fifty feet from where they were before. Buffy simply fell to the ground unconscious, either from the loss of blood or the battle. Reed figured probably both.  
  
Reed looked over towards the direction the gust had came from to see a man standing there. He was standing there with an expression on his face that looked stone cold. Reed also noticed that this man seem to have a certain something about him, something Reed couldn't put his foot on until the man held out one of his hands palm up and a long blade formed in his hand.  
  
"Of course, magic" Reed said aloud as he took a step forward only to have the man look his way, sending Reed flying back against the house.  
  
"Stay out of this!" The man said as he made his way towards V-Buffy, who was now getting up with Xander by her side as they both snarled at the approaching man.  
  
Reed looked back and forth towards V-Buffy, Xander and the man and then at Buffy. Just when he was about to make a move towards Buffy's unconscious form on the ground he heard Willow scream, drawing his attention.  
  
Reed watched as Spike, who was laughing, held up Oz by the throat while Drusilla watched in amusement.   
  
"I told you to watch were you pointed that thing" Spike said as Oz dropped the crossbow.  
  
Reed was torn between helping Giles and the others or going to Buffy who was unconscious by the side of the tree. "I'm sorry guys" he said under his breath towards Giles and others as he started making his way towards Buffy. He heard a snarl in the direction of Giles and the others as casted a quick glance towards them to see that Oz had shoved a cross in Spike's face making Spike drop him.  
  
{Good Man} Reed thought as he saw Spike grab Drusilla and run, "But I wanted to play" Reed heard Dru say as they disappeared into the night.  
  
Reed dropped beside Buffy on the ground and started looking at her neck. She'd lost alot of blood and he knew he had to get her out of here fast or else they all might be in for the same thing. Giles, Jenny, Oz and Willow came up from behind him at that moment.  
  
"Is she?" Giles said not being able to finish his question.  
  
"No, she'll be fine as long as we get her out of here" Reed said as he picked her up before looking towards V-Buffy and Xander fighting off the man up ahead.  
  
"What about Xander?" Willow said in a panick.  
  
"You've got to let him go!" Reed yelled looking at Willow before looking towards Xander and continuing, "He's gone, you're going to have to let him go" this time with a little sadness and concern towards Willow as a tear went down her face. Reed watched the tear as it went down her face and dropped to the ground. Oz looked at Willow and knew that she wouldn't be satisfied with leaving it at that as he grabbed ahold of Willow and held her.  
  
"Look, we don't have time for this, we've got to get out of here" Reed said as he seemed to come out of his trance as he looked at Giles and the others.  
  
"And Fast..." Jenny said as she pointed towards a group of vampires coming from around the front of the house as they stood looking at V-Buffy and Xander fighting with the man before looking at Reed, Giles and the others as they started growling and made their way towards them.  
  
"Take her." Reed said to Giles as he gave Buffy to him as he looked at the ground a few feet up ahead and found what he was looking for, "Get her out of here, I'll meet you back at the library." he said before taking off in the direction of the vamps.  
  
Giles lead the way back around to the front of the house with the others as he carried Buffy in his arms.  
  
The last thing Giles saw before going around the corner was Reed kicking a weapon, which looked like a boomerang made of metal, up from the ground with his feet while catching it with his right hand.  
====================================================== 


	26. What's that Dripping?

[Note:As always Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy.]  
  
  
Chapter 26: What's that Dripping?  
  
  
  
Scene: The library, thirty minutes later  
  
  
  
Willow, and Oz were hovered over Buffy as Giles checked her bite marks.   
  
"How is she?" Ms. Calendar asked coming in the library with a first aid kit and handing it to Giles.  
  
"I don't know. She seems to be okay, but she's still unconscious." Giles said as he took the first aid kit from her.  
  
"Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" Willow asked, glued to Buffy's side as much as Giles was.  
  
"No, we haven't time. Since Xander..." after saying his name Giles stopped mid-sentence as he seemed to lose his concentration for a minute before continuing, "We haven't the time for that."  
  
"Besides, didn't that Reed guy say that we should meet him here?" Ms. Calendar said beside Giles.  
  
"Yes, well, that's another manner entirely." Giles said as he made a cloth like bandage around Buffy's neck.  
  
"You don't trust him?" Oz asked speaking up for the first time since they'd entered the library.  
  
"Uhhh, I rather think not." Giles said putting the finishing touches on Buffy's bandage.  
  
"He did save our lives Rupert, I think that's pretty good. Don't you?" Ms. Calendar said.  
  
"What about Xander?" Willow asked Giles in a manner that broke his heart.  
  
"Willow." Giles said lightly as he got up and took a step towards her, only to have her turn her back on him as Oz grabbed ahold of her.  
  
"Willow, we...we have to let him go." Giles said again, clearly with pain in his voice before continuing, "That's not Xander anymore, you must understand that. He'll come after us and show no mercy just as any vampire would."   
  
"It's not just Xander you have to worry about." A familar voice said coming into the library, getting everyones attention.  
  
Willow ran up to Reed and without warning started beating on him, "ARRGGHHHH! You don't even say his name! You have no right!" she screamed as Oz quickly grabbed a hold of her while all of the others stood stunned at Willow's outburst.  
  
Reed was surprised at first by her outburst, but he understood it as he stood there and took Willow's assult. After all he was the one to tell her to forget Xander, someone who was her lifelong friend. That's something you can't forget no matter how hard you try and now a perfect stranger was telling her to forget him as if he was nothing. No, Reed didn't blame her one bit.  
  
After a minute Reed continued, "Both of them, they'll stop at nothing until all of you are dead." he said. Then, looking at Buffy on the table unconscious, Reed started to make a move towards her only to have Giles stand in his way.  
  
"You're not going anywhere near her until you give us some answers, and fast!" Giles said standing in Reed's face.  
  
Reed didn't back down, "I'm the only one who can save her, so if you want to help her get out of my face." Reed said in a quiet, yet stern manner before continuing, "She may not be your Buffy, but I know you care for her just the same."   
  
Oz had been quiet the whole time, but with neither backing down he spoke up, "How did you know where to look for us?" he asked Reed.  
  
Reed looked away from Giles towards Oz as he seemed to back down a little, "What?"  
  
"How did you know we would be at that house?" Oz asked as he took a step forward letting go of Willow's hand.  
  
Reed knew that they wouldn't like the answer, but he felt like he had to tell them anyway. He owed it to them, "Because Xander was there and I knew that all of you wouldn't stop until you found him, especially Buffy." he said once again looking at her.  
  
Reed's answer got Willow's attention, "You mean you knew they had Xander and you didn't try to save him?" she said starting to get agitated again as she moved infront of Oz, "Answer me!" she said, angry while she looked at Reed who was staring at Buffy with a worried expression.  
  
Willow felt another outburst coming until she heard Reed say something under his breath and run quickly towards Buffy.  
  
As Reed reached her he felt for a pulse from her wrist, "I can't get a pulse." he said looking up at Giles and the others.  
  
"What?" Giles said as he joined Reed by Buffy's side. He looked down at the bandage that was now soaked in blood, "Oh God."  
  
Before Giles could blink Reed pulled Buffy off of the table, laying her on the floor and started performing CPR.  
  
  
One...two...three  
  
  
One...two...three   
  
  
One...two...three  
  
  
Giles and the others watched in horror as Reed pumped on Buffy's chest before pulling her head back and lowering his mouth to hers.  
  
As Reed tried to give her the breath of life time seemed to stand still for Giles and the others.  
  
Reed went back to her chest and started again, but this time Willow noticed that there was something different about the man now down on his knees. Just a minute ago there was this strong, confident, almost arrogant man. Now, well, now Willow wasn't sure, but as Reed continued to push on Buffy's chest she could've sworn she saw a few tears go down his face.   
  
"Come on! Come on!" Reed yelled as he continued, just when he was about to go to her mouth again Buffy jerked up and let out a gasp as she starting coming around.  
  
"Thank God." Reed heard Giles say a few feet from him just as Buffy's eyes slowly came open.  
  
"Xan...der." she said looking up into Reed's eyes before unconsciousness overcome her once again.  
  
"What are you doing?" Giles asked as Reed removed his jacket and started rolling up his sleeve.  
  
"She's lost alot of blood so I'm giving her a transfusion." Reed said and then continued before Giles could inturrept him, "Trust me." he said grabbing some things out of the first aid kit on the table.  
============================================================  
  
  
Scene:Four hours later, inside the master bedroom of the two story house  
  
  
  
V-Buffy and V-Xander are lying in bed with the sheets up against them. V-Buffy is lying almost ontop of Xander as he has his arms around her.  
  
  
Two lying in the arms of the ones they love. That is what everyone dreams of. It is just the way it is supposed to be.  
  
  
"That wasn't the way it was supposed to be." V-Buffy said in a rejected manner as she rests her head against Xander's shoulder.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry honey." Xander said as he stared up at the ceiling while stroking her blond hair.  
  
They had been lying here for about ten minutes now. Just the two of them taking in each other.   
  
V-Buffy grumbled beside him, "It's just...I wanted it to be special. Willow with her necked slashed over there in the corner, Giles chained up against the wall. That *bitch* drained at my feet. You know, special."   
  
"Don't worry it'll all get better." Xander said as he continued to stare up at the ceiling.  
  
V-Buffy sits up with a smile on her face. As she sits up the sheet falls down exposing her flesh, but just enough to make Xander want to howl as she leans in towards his face, "You promise?" she says in a honey laced voice.  
  
"I promise." he said just as she leans in and kisses him roughly. Xander returns the kiss with more passion as his momentum pushes them down to the other end of the bed as V-Buffy is now under him. Somehow they are still wrapped up in the sheets, except for Xander's back which is slightly exposed, as he lays on top of her while they continue to kiss. You can hear the growls of passion throughout the house as they start to lose themselves in each other's arms, until...  
  
  
Drip  
  
Drip  
  
Drip  
  
Drip  
  
  
"Xaaaander...mmmm...Xander." V-Buffy says in between passionate kisses.  
  
Xander continues his rampage on her as he nips at her neck with his fangs, drawing blood and a gasp from V-Buffy. Despite this, V-Buffy somehow manages to get Xander's attention, "Xander, honey you have to stop. Xander!" she screams as her vamp visage comes to the surface.  
  
Xander stops, but only to growl at her playfully, "I like it when you scream." he says until he sees the look on her face. Even through the vamp visage he can see her pouty expression, "What?"  
  
"He's dripping again." V-Buffy says in a frustrated manner.  
  
Xander felt something cold hit his back and roll down it "Damnit! I thought you drained him the last time." he said looking at her for an answer.  
  
"Well, I would have, but he's cold now and I don't do cold." She said with a pout as her face changed back into her human visage before smiling up at him in a playful way, "Well, I didn't use to." she said grabbing Xander's head and forcing him down to her lips as she continued where they left off.  
  
As the howls of passion start up once again, we descend towards the ceiling as we see the man that was fighting them earlier hung upside down as the last drop of blood left in his body drops from his neck wounds down to Xander's back, but it's still not enough to distract him from his duty to his sire.  
==================================== 


	27. Secrets

Chapter 27: Secrets  
  
  
Scene: The library, about thirty minutes later  
  
  
  
Willow and Oz are with Ms. Calendar at the table watching over an unconscious Buffy.   
  
"She seems to be doing better." Willow said as she threw away the old bloody bandage that had been around Buffy's neck before slightly raising the new one of Buffy's neck and looking at her neck wounds, "The bleeding has stopped."  
  
"Then why the worried look?" Oz asked as he looked at his love.  
  
Willow didn't answer as she looked up and straight ahead.  
  
"Hey." Oz said in quiet manner trying to get her attention.  
  
When she didn't answer him again, he just let it go. Then looking at Ms. Calendar he noticed why Willow wasn't answering him. It was the same reason why Ms. Calendar hadn't said a word in the last few minutes. They were both focused on Giles' closed office door.  
  
.............  
  
  
Inside his office Giles slowly paced away from Reed who was sitting down.  
  
"I see." Giles said as he turned back around and went to the door, peeking out through the blinds at Buffy, "And Xander?"  
  
"Yes, him too." Reed said still sitting down as Giles turned away from the window and faced him.  
  
"And you're..."  
  
A nod from Reed  
  
Giles took his glasses off and made his way back over to his desk as he picked up a book from his chair and sat down while putting the book on an already cluttered desk. As Giles took his seat Reed thought he saw a smile creep up on Giles' face, but it was gone within a blink of an eye.  
  
A few minutes of quiet surrounded the room as if it was taking in what Reed just said, then the silence was broken.  
  
"Will you help me?" Reed asked.  
  
Giles got up slowly and moved back towards the door. He was about to open the door leading out into the library, but not before turning towards Reed, "What do you need us to do?"  
  
"First off I don't want the others to know."  
  
"About..." Giles said letting it hang in the air.  
  
Reed simply nodded his head, "At least until we're gone." Reed said as he got up and headed towards the door as Giles opened it and followed Reed into the library.  
  
Ms. Calendar was the first to react as she got up from her seat at the table, "Rupert?"  
  
He simply nodded his head towards Reed.  
  
Reed looked at Giles who nodded for him to go on, "Right then...uhh...I need your help." he said looking at Willow, Oz and Ms. Calendar before continuing, "You see I have to contact the powers that be." Reed said as if that was all that needed to be said.  
  
"Your not very good at explaining things are you?" Giles asked looking at Reed.  
  
"Hey, your the watcher. This is supposed to be your specialty, not mine."   
  
Giles let out a sigh of frustration as he looked at Reed in annoyance.  
  
"Giles?" Willow said stepping forward, waiting for Giles to explain.  
  
"Well, as far as I can tell these powers are somewhat like a balance of things. They are like, well to put it simply watchers of the world."  
  
"Worlds." Reed corrected him, drawing a look from Giles and a remark, "Your so helpful."  
  
"You see they brought me to their plain of existence as they put it and told me that my help was needed."  
  
"I thought you wanted me to tell them." Giles said in a frustrated manner.  
  
"No, I just wanted you to explain what the powers were because I was a little curious myself." Reed said with a smile before continuing, "Anyway, here I am sitting in Wrigley field watching the Cubs play and all of the sudden I'm facing these two green looking people. I knew that It would be a cold day in hell before the Cubs won a game when I was actually there, but that was almost too scary." He said remembering the event as he shook his head and looked up at an annoyed pair of eyes coming from the watcher.  
  
"Oh, right. Anyway, they tell me that I'm destined to help them."  
  
"And you just volunteered like that?" Willow asked with skepticism.  
  
Reed caught Giles' glare from the corner of his eyes, but didn't let it affect him, "Well, uhh...yeah pretty much."  
  
Willow was still a little ambiguous, but she didn't say anything. Even though she wasn't the same Buffy that Willow had grown to know and love as a sister these last two years, it was still Buffy. Willow would do whatever was necessary to help her and if there was a chance that this man could help Buffy get back to her reality then that was a chance that Willow was willing to take.   
  
Giles stepped forward, "It...uh...might be of help in our research if you could give us a description of these powers."  
  
"Well, except for the green complexion and their superiority complex I'd say they look almost human."  
  
Giles nodded and disappeared into his office. Just as Giles disappeared Reed broke the silence, "Plus they looked kind of gay." he said looking off into the distance as if he was thinking it over, before quickly turning to Willow, "Not that there is anything wrong with that."  
  
Giles chose that moment to reappear before Willow could say anything, "Well, these are the only two books I have on Greek Mythology here in my office. Most of what we'll need is at my place." He said handing the two books to Jenny.  
  
"Greek Mythology?" Willow asked, are you saying that these guys are some sort of Gods.  
  
"Yes, perhaps. You see Greek Mythology is rather interesting...." he trailed off when he saw the looks he was receiving from everyone, "I'll just go and get the books." he said starting to walk away, but Willow stopped him, "I thought you said your books were gone?"   
  
"Yes, that's right. They are." he said looking at Reed with stern look.  
  
"Hey, it's not my fault. You were the one who spoke Latin in front of the books."   
  
"Yes, well, without my books..."  
  
"Don't worry they're back. Good as new. Well, good as dusty new, but new nontheless." Reed said.  
  
"How di..." Giles started to ask before stopping himself, "Nevermind, I don't want to know." he said turning and walking out of the library.  
============================================================== 


	28. Turning the Page of History

Chapter 28: Turning the Page of History  
  
  
Scene: V-B/X's love nest.  
  
  
"I'm getting hungry." V-Buffy pouted.  
  
"Honey, but you just ate that three course family an hour ago." Xander said laying beside her.  
  
"I know, but they weren't very filling."  
  
Xander let out a sigh of frustration as he got out of bed and slipped into his leather pants before making his way to the door, "What do you want?" he asked turning around.  
  
"I don't know. What do you want?" She asked in an innocent manner, still laying on the bed wrapped up in the sheets.  
  
"I'm not the one that is hungry." he said pausing for a moment before continuing, "No wait I am hungry." he said as the blood lust came to him again.  
  
"Mexican?" V-Buffy asked.  
  
"Honey, that family was Mexican and they didn't fill you, besides you know how they give you gas."  
  
"Oh, yeah." she said before getting out of bed while claiming her own pair of clothes.  
  
"What are you doing?" V-Xander asked from the doorway as she let the sheet she had wrapped around her fall to the ground, letting Xander get an eye full before she slowly slipped on her shirt and pants with a smile, "I'm coming with you."  
  
"If your going why can't I just stay here?" Xander asked from the doorway as she made her way up to him and wrapped her arms around him before thrusting herself into his body with the satisfaction of an grunt from him.  
  
"Because we're a couple now and couples do things together, like going out to eat."  
  
"We can't just order in?"  
  
"No, now shut up and move that cute ass of yours." she said grabbing his butt before continuing, "Or would you like me to make it move for you?" she said with a growl behind her voice.  
  
Before Xander could answer she put a finger over his lips, "Uh, Uh, Uh, food first." she said giving him a glance that almost made his hips move by themselves before stepping out of the room with a smiling Xander closely behind.  
===================================================================  
  
Scene: Back at the library  
  
  
  
It had been over an hour since Giles had left to retrieve the books at his place and he hadn't came back yet. Reed was getting anxious as he sits in one of the chairs by a still unconscious Buffy on the table. There is a shirt under her head, being her only comfort as a pillow. Although, he was anxious Reed still didn't show it as he sat there quiet as a mouse staring at Buffy. Everyone else, however, was a different story as Ms. Calendar had now moved towards the doorway of the library continuing to keep a look out for Giles, while Willow looked through one of the books that Giles had given them from his collection in his office. Despite her effects, Willow would still glance up every time she turned a page to look towards Ms. Calendar's direction. Even Oz looked a little worried as he was twindling his thumbs. {Just as you described him} Reed thought as he looked at Oz for a second before looking back at Buffy.  
  
Willow broke the silence that had been going on for almost thirty minutes now as she slammed the book closed causing everyone to jump except Reed.   
  
Reed could tell the look on Willow's face wasn't one of anger for not finding anything, but for the anger of everything that seemed to be falling apart around her. First she loses Buffy, then Xander and now... well, now Reed had a bad feeling about Giles.  
  
Willow said what Reed was currently thinking at the moment, "We should've went with him. It's too dangerous with Buffy and...and..." she got up with a determined look on her face as she went to where Giles kept the weapons in the cage.   
  
Willow sudden outburst caught Ms. Calendar's attention as she left her spot at the door and came back into the library, "What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like. I'm going to find Giles." she said trying the weapons cabinet door, only to find it locked, "Damnit!" she yelled as she pulled at the door with no luck.  
  
In less than a second Oz was by her side as he slightly put his hand on her shoulder, which was quickly brushed off by her, "Don't! I'm not a baby who needs to be coddled. I'm just...I'm..."   
  
It was clear that she was about to break, but she didn't because at that instant there was a loud bang coming from the weapons cabinet as it opened with Reed now standing beside it as he stared at Willow who returned his look with one of her own.  
  
However, it was a short look because Willow turned around and started towards the library doors with Oz behind her as Ms. Calendar fell in step behind them. They were at the door before Ms. Calendar noticed that Reed wasn't with them as she turned around, "Aren't you com..."she broke off when she saw an empty library. Willow took a step back into the library like she was going to investigate, but Ms. Calendar stopped her as she lightly grabbed hold of Willow's arm, "Let's go Willow."   
  
Willow gave one last look at the now empty library, except for a shirt rolled up in a ball on the table before turning around and following the others as they went in search of Giles.  
  
...............  
  
As they rode in Oz's van over to Giles' place Willow prayed that Giles was okay. She couldn't take losing someone else.   
  
She heard her name being called, "Willow." Oz said as he stood by the drivers side with the door opened, "We're here."   
  
Willow snapped out of her trance and got out of Oz's van as she followed Ms. Calendar and Oz to Giles' door. As they came upon the door they noticed that it was slightly cracked with voices coming from within. Usually Willow would be more cautious, but right now she wasn't really thinking as she pushed her way into Giles' place with Oz and Ms. Calendar behind her.  
  
What she saw angered her, but at the same time gave her relief. There was Giles sitting down in one of the chairs facing the door.   
  
Giles looked like he was about to say something as Willow came towards him, but he was inturrepted by a punch to his shoulder from her, "Where have you been? Why didn't you call? We've been worrying about you and here you are chatting and living it up with this...this girl. Why is there a girl in your house?" she asked getting more confused by the minute.  
  
The girl looked like she was about to speak up, but Willow inturrepted her, "Wait, no, I don't care. I've had enough with the mystery guests." she said turning back towards Giles as she was about to start in on him again before being inturrepted by the girl next to her.  
  
"Listen, commando gal. I don't care how long it's been since you got any, but you need to calm down before I introduce you to my...  
  
Giles clearing his throat interrupted the girl as he turned towards Willow, "Willow, I'm sorry that I didn't call. I was rather... umm... well, to say the least I was as surprised by Ms. William's presence as you were.  
  
"Ms. Williams?" Oz asked nodding towards the girl.  
  
Giles was about to answer when the girl spoke up, "Listen, what the watcher here is trying to say is that I'm the new player in town. Slayer actually."  
  
"Slayer?" Willow asked looking at the girl and then towards Giles for confirmation as he nodded his head.  
  
"Well, you still could've called." Willow said calming down a little.  
  
"I'm sorry for worrying you Willow, all of you." Giles said looking at Oz and especially at Ms. Calendar before continuing, "but I had to fill in Ms. Williams here about our... um.. situation."  
  
"Would you please quit calling me that."  
  
"What?" Giles said turning his attention towards the girl.  
  
"Ms. Williams. Quit calling me that, it sounds like I'm married or something. The name's Faith."  
  
  
.......................  
  
  
For the next few minutes Ms. Calendar, Willow, and Oz all listened to Giles tell them what he had found out from this new girl. It seemed that the Vamped Buffy of this world killed the slayer that was to be called thus bringing this Faith into the fold as the next slayer. At least that was most of what Willow could make of it. Willow was brought out of her thoughts by Giles getting up from his seat.  
  
"I'll just call Reed and tell him...." Giles was cut off by Willow.  
  
"Uh...well, you see that's a problem because well, umm...he's gone." Willow said.  
  
"Gone?"  
  
"Yeah, I was so caught up in going to look for you that when we turned around he was gone, along with Buffy." Willow said almost ashamed.  
  
Giles got a worried look on his face as Ms. Calendar came back into the room with a couple of drinks as she handed them to everyone, "Do you think Buffy's alright?" she asked handing Giles' cup to him as he returned to his seat.  
  
Giles' hand felt around the pocket of his jacket until he found what he was looking before removing his empty hand, "What, uhh...yeah, It's just I need him here to help in the research because he is the only one that can point out these powers."   
  
.......  
  
After passing out his many volumes on Mythology, specifically Greek Mythology Giles excused himself as he made his way to his bedroom, closed the door and leaned up against it while closing his eyes.   
  
Even Watchers need a break from research sometimes.  
  
It was now almost two in the morning. They had been researching since almost midnight and they had found nothing. Giles was sure that the answers or at least something close to answers would lie in Greek Mythology, but at the moment he seemed to be wrong. They knew nothing about these powers and the one person who had contact with them was now missing. Giles went to his desk in the corner of the room and opened the draw. He pulled out a dark blue book with the letters R G carved in the top right hand corner and took a seat in his antique wooden chair as he lay the book down on the desk.   
  
  
This was Giles own personally dairy. His sanctuary. He wrote in it what came to mind without the worry of knowing what the Watchers Council would think. He would write in this book first and then write down an edited version in the Watcher's dairies. If he were to every express that his feelings for the slayer were like those of a father's feelings for his daughter they would dismiss him at once, saying that those kind of feelings would cloud his judgement.   
  
Giles carefully opened the book as if it were gold while he turned to the first page.  
  
  
.......Today was the day I'd been waiting for. The day I have been training for. It was the day that all watchers dreamed about. Today I would meet my slayer. I was ready to take upon my duty as Watcher and train the slayer against the forces of evil. I was ready that is, until I met the little....  
  
  
Giles turned the page quickly as he skimmed through the book. He stopped when he came upon a passage that had been written almost a year ago to this date.  
  
  
.....Today was probably one of the worst days of my life, yet it was also one of the best. Today my slayer, Buffy Ann Summers, defeated the Master. She fought with the courage and strength that I would think rivals any slayer before her. Yet, I found myself torn between my duty as her watcher and my duty as her friend as I sent her into battle. Fore, if I was to ever lose her I don't know what I would do.   
  
{It would seem that the watchers council was right after all} he thought as he turned the pages until he came to his last passage.  
  
  
.....As I write here on this page I am truly hollow inside for today my slayer, Buffy Ann Summers is dead. I know many watchers who would die for the chance to get their own slayer, but if they only knew what the end of that job brings with it they wouldn't want it. I will write the details of her death at a later time for I haven't the strength to do it now.  
  
  
After he read the last entry Giles turned the page and picked up a pen from his desk and held it to the paper. He held the pen slightly above the paper as if he couldn't bring himself to write. Putting ink to this book was something that Giles had once looked forward to many of nights, but that all changed on that night Buffy died. Giles closed his eyes and thought back to the conversation he had with Reed in his office earlier in the night before opening them with determination and lowering the pen to the paper as he began to write. And write he did as the room soon became filled with the sound of a man on a mission.  
================================================= 


	29. Means to an End

Chapter 29: Means to an End  
  
  
Scene: Giles' Place  
  
  
Oz loved these moments. Even if they were at three in the morning and under what seemed like a pile of books as they researched almost everything on Mythology. Oz had once thought the subject was interesting, but right now he was starting to rethink it. Then as he looked down with a smile on his lips all of his problems seemed to go away.  
  
{Who needs Aphrodite} Oz thought to himself as he stroked Willow's red hair. She had been asleep ever since Giles left the room. Her body was now stretched over the couch with her head in his lap. For the first time throughout the night Oz was at piece, that is until he heard Giles' bedroom door open and close. From the way Willow shot up he knew he wasn't the only one that heard Giles.  
  
"Giles!" Willow said as he entered the room, "Your just in time to help us." she said picking up a book from the table, trying to act as if she'd not been drooling all over Oz's lap just a minute ago.  
  
She quickly handed the book to Giles who took it, opened it to the first page, and then looked back to the cover of the book, "10 ways to please the man of your dreams." he read outloud before looking back at Willow who at the moment wished she was drooling in Oz's lap until she realised that was one of the ways so she just sat there while Giles gave her a look. She was saved by Faith who snatched the book from Giles drawing his attention away.  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have the book, 10 ways to open a portal to another reality, would you?" Reed said standing at Giles' door.   
  
The only sound everyone heard was a wsshhh sound as a knife came spinning at Reed before he caught it inches away from his head, "Good to know I was missed." he said putting the knife into his jacket.  
  
Faith was about to charge the man, until Giles stepped in, "Faith, this is Reed."   
  
"Oh." Faith said before looking back at Reed, "Then give me back my knife."  
  
"Faith? Your Faith?" Reed said looking her up and down.  
  
"Uhh...yeah, what's it to ya?"  
  
Giles chose that moment to jump in, "Where's Buffy?"  
  
"In your bedroom." Reed said still eyeing Faith.  
  
"What, but I was just...."  
  
"How do you know my name?" Faith asked as she eyed Reed up and down.  
  
"Oh, Oh!" Willow yelled drawing everyone's attention, "I think I've found something." she said giving the book over to Giles.  
  
"Is this your guys?" Giles asked giving Reed the book.  
  
"Let's see, short, green, look kinda..." he broke off looking at Willow before continuing quickly, "Yep, that's them."  
  
"Hmmm..."   
  
"What?" Ms. Calendar said coming up behind him.  
  
"Well, it mostly vague, but what I can make of it in order to contact the powers you have to go to a place of holy significance." Giles said skimming through the text.  
  
"That makes sense if your God theory is correct." Ms. Calendar said looking at Giles.  
  
"Yes, well, let me gather a few things and then we'll..."   
  
"I'm going alone." Reed said cutting Giles off.  
  
"What? You can't be serious." Giles said as Reed grabbed the book from him.  
  
"It's too big of a risk for you to go with me. Listen, if these guys think I've told you anything there is no telling what they might do. They're not human friendly."   
  
"Then what makes you think you can get all chatty with them?" Faith asked.  
  
Reed exchanged a glance with Giles, before looking at Faith, "Usually I'd agree, but since I'm the one who they contacted in the first place for this little mission of mine, then I'm going to say that I'm the best choice to have contact with them." he said before quickly adding, "Besides, I need you guys to keep Buffy safe while I'm gone. Hopefully I'll be back soon." he said walking towards the door.  
  
"But you don't know where to look other than a holy place." Giles said to Reed's retreating form.  
  
"Yeah, and there are so many of those in Sunnydale aren't there." he said as he opened the front door.  
  
"Well, actually....." Willow was cut off by Faith.  
  
"Hey, where's my...." Faith stopped as a knife embedded itself into Giles' coffee table at her feet before the front door closed.  
=======================================================================  
  
  
It was now five in the morning and dawn would be threating the night in about an hour or so. Willow was catching up on her sleep with Oz as they lay on Giles' couch asleep in each other's arms, while Ms. Calendar sat in one of the chairs reading one of Giles' many books on the occult. Faith had excused herself a moment ago, saying she needed some air. That left Giles to his thoughts as he slowly made his way to his bedroom. As he opened the door there she was. The girl that had changed his life forever. He went and knelt beside her lying form on his bed. She was still unconscious, but Giles could tell she was getting better. The color was quickly returning to her face and her breathing was starting to become normal.  
  
  
"Hey."   
  
Giles turned to see Ms. Calendar leaning against the wall in the doorway.  
  
"I thought you were reading?" Giles asked from his kneeling position.  
  
"I was, but there is only so much of a book I can take. I'm more of a computer gal." she said, drawing a smile from Giles.  
  
"Yes, yes you are." he said standing up.  
  
"Rupert."  
  
She was the only person who could call him by that name and it felt right.  
  
"Yes." he said looking at her. He waited for her to speak, but the only thing he saw from her was that her expression had changed, "Jenny?"  
  
As she fell to the ground Giles' breath caught in his throat at the sight before him.  
  
There was Xander standing behind her with a knife, Faith's knife in his hands, "You really shouldn't leave these kind of things lying around in your house. I mean with the kids and all." Xander said waving the knife in front of him.  
  
Giles kneeled to Jenny's side as she fought back the pain while Giles looked at her bloody wound in the side of her chest.   
  
"Awe, isn't that sweet." Xander said looking at Giles on the ground with Ms. Calendar.  
  
Xander was about to say something else until his eyes caught the site of Buffy on the bed, "Hmmm... But that's sweeter." He said as he went to take a step forward.  
  
Giles acted quickly as he pulled out a cross from underneath his bed and shoved it in Xander's face, "Back away demon!"  
  
Xander hissed at the watcher, but obeyed as he backed up through the door and into the hallway as Giles helped Ms. Calendar up. He continued to push Xander towards his living room with the cross.   
  
"I'm sorry about dropping in like this. I would had been satisfied with just ordering in, but you know how Buffy gets when she wants something." Xander said backing up with a smile.  
  
"Where is..." he was cut off by a kick to the arm knocking the cross out of his hands as V-Buffy came into view.  
  
"Sorry about that, but I can't have you go and shove Holy objects in my lover's face. You know how impressionable he can be." she said while Giles backed up with Jenny.  
  
"How about this impression!" someone said from her left kicking V-Buffy as she went flying across the room and landing against the wall with loud thud.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, but I like long walks." Faith said to Giles as Xander charged her, "Well, except for the whole beaches and guys part." she said punching a vamped out Xander in the face before kneeing him in the chest and flipping him over onto his back.  
  
Willow and Oz ran up to Giles, "Giles... Oh God! Ms. Calendar!" Willow said seeing Ms. Calendar's bloody hand holding her right side, "Don't worry Willow I'll...I'll be..." she didn't finish because unconsciouness had overcome her as she fell to the floor.  
  
"Jenny!" Giles yelled kneeling beside her.  
  
Willow and Oz's attention was drawn away from their two friends below them to the scuffle from behind them now taking place in the middle of Giles' living room as the table that was there a minute ago went flying across the room and smashed into the wall.  
  
V-Buffy was now in Faith's face as they held onto eachother, each trying to get the upper hand.  
  
"Who...the hell...are you?" V-Buffy said through the struggle.  
  
"Name's Faith." Faith said through gritted teeth before continuing, "I'm the new slayer thanks to you." she said bringing her right leg around the back of V-Buffy's left leg to trip her. V-Buffy just laughed, "Nice try, but I know all the slayer tricks." she said as Faith used her right foot to buckle V-Buffy's left leg. However, instead of V-Buffy falling down below Faith, she held onto Faith while she went down and with all of her strength flipped Faith over her head. Faith landed on her back which stunned her for a minute, a minute she didn't have as V-Buffy quickly got on top of her pinning her hands to the ground, "Sorry, but Im always on top." she said in her vamp visage.  
  
Faith struggled to free herself. She looked to her right to see if there was any weapons she could use. None. The only thing she saw was Xander approaching a terrified Willow and Oz as they backed up beside a kneeling Giles who was still by Ms. Calendar's side. This was it. {Damnit!} Faith thought. {I'm going to go down as the shortest living slayer in history} she thought to herself as she looked up into the eyes of V-Buffy.  
  
"You know what...I've been thinking about getting me some new minions. How about it slayer? Think you're up to the challenge?" she said smiling.  
  
{I may go down as the shortest living slayer, but I'll be damned if I'll be a minion} Faith thought as she mustered up all the strength she had and used her legs to buck V-Buffy off of her. V-Buffy went flying head first, hitting the ground as she rolled back up into a fighting stance just as Faith used her momentum to flip herself into the same.  
  
"You may have been alive longer than me, but you won't be dead much longer." Faith said, {I really need to work on my puns some more.}  
  
"Faith is it? Is there a special someone in your life?" V-Buffy asked smiling at Faith.  
  
"What?" Faith asked not believing that V-Buffy was pulling a Dr. Ruth on her.   
  
"Because there is in mine." V-Buffy said just as Faith turned her head in time to see Xander's punch hit her square in the face as she hit the ground a few feet away.  
  
At that moment something happened that caught everyone's attention as they stared at what used to be the front of Giles' place being overshadowed with a huge, blue swirling light. Everyone stared at it's beauty just as Reed appeared in front of the blue portal.  
  
"You dare to interrupt my destiny!" V-Buffy screamed, "For that you will die!" she said before coming at Reed with Xander by her side.  
  
Reed stood there in front of the flowing portal, the picture of calm as he waited for them. Every step they took ached at his heart because he knew what must be done. As they grew closer he reached into his black jacket and pulled something out just as V-Buffy and V-Xander were upon him. In one quick movement he thrust the objects into them as they stood in front of him with shock written on their faces.  
  
Leaning forward with a pained expression he whispered something so quiet that only V-Buffy and V-Xander could hear. After a moment the only thing that was left in front of Reed was the ashes on the two stacks he held in front of him.   
  
A moment passed as Giles, Willow, and Oz all took in what had just happened. Then Giles quickly picked Jenny up in his arms as he made his way towards Reed, "I've got to get her to the hospital."  
  
Reed nodded before making his way towards Giles' bedroom and coming out with Buffy in his arms, "And I've got to get her home." he said looking at Giles.  
  
Willow, Oz, Giles and Faith watched Reed walk towards the still opened portal. As he stood in front of it he turned around with Buffy in his arms to take one last look at everyone before turning back around and disappearing into the portal. They all stood there as the portal disappeared along with Buffy and Reed before Faith spoke up, "Now your free."  
  
"What?" Willow asked.  
  
"Reed." Faith said looking at her, "He said, now your free."   
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Slayer hearing." Faith said cutting Willow off.  
  
After a second, Willow spoke up, "Let's get Ms. Calendar to the hospital." she said as Giles took one last look at the space previously occupied by the portal and at Buffy and Xander's ashes on the ground before following Oz and Willow out with an unconscious Ms. Calendar in his arms.   
=======================================================================  
  
Scene: The Original Reality  
  
  
  
"Buffy...Buffy."  
  
"Wh... oa... What." she said waking up in her room to her mother's voice calling her name.  
  
"You were talking outloud in your sleep." her mother said sitting on the side of her bed before continuing, "I could hear you down the hall."  
  
Buffy felt very weak. As if she'd just woken up from a long coma, "Wha...I... I don't." she managed to somehow spit out before her mother interrupted her.  
  
"Well, that's what you get for staying in all the time. All you seem to be doing lately is going to school and coming home, not that I'm complaining but..." she trailed off before continuing, "Are you okay honey?" Joyce said feeling of her daughter's head.  
  
"Uhh, yeah I guess... it's just... I" once again her mother cut her off, "Well, Willow and Xander will probably be coming by in the morning to walk you to school and since you'll probably need your conversational skills then you'll need your sleep." she said as she got off of Buffy's bed and began walking to Buffy's door. As she opened the door she smiled at Buffy before closing it, leaving Buffy alone to the fogginess that was her mind. Buffy lies her head on her pillow as she falls back asleep without much trouble.  
======================================================================  
  
The next morning Buffy walked to school with Xander and Willow as she had been doing the last two weeks since Ms. Calendar's death.   
  
"So, how did you sleep?" Willow asked as they crossed the street to school grounds.  
  
"Fine." came Buffy's reply in a stern manner, "Just like every morning that you ask." she said looking at Willow who gave her a I'm sorry smile.  
  
After a moment Buffy broke the quiet, "Well, actually last night was kind of wierd."  
  
"Uh ha!" Willow said making Xander and Buffy both stop as they neared the front of the school.  
  
"Uh, Will calm down on the caffeine intake in the morning, okay." Xander said before looking at Buffy as they continued walking, "What kind of wierd?" he asked as they entered the school, "Bad, vampire/demon dream wierd or me in the shower with you wierd?" he asked with a smile.  
  
Buffy just looked at him as she shook her head before recovering, "I don't know. My mom came in and said I was talking outloud in my sleep, but I don't remember why?"  
  
"What did you dream about?" Willow asked.  
  
"That's the thing, I don't know. It's all...Ugg" Buffy said waving her hands up in the air as they entered the library.  
  
"Uggy feelings, huh. Sounds like a job for someone old and stuffy if you ask me." Xander said as he followed them into the library.  
  
  
For the rest of the day Buffy would go through the same thing she had been doing for the last two weeks...anything to forget about Angel. Xander and Willow asked her to meet them at the Bronze tonight and no matter how much she tried to get out of it, they continued to beg until she gave in. So here she was about ten hours later walking along the sidewalk as she made her way to meet them at the Bronze. Just as she turned the corner she noticed a light coming from Weatherly Park.  
  
...........  
  
  
Weatherly Park a few minutes earlier  
  
  
A blue light formed as it lit up the entire park. Out of the light stepped a big yellowish demon, by the name of Irus. He had three eyes, with one on his forehead that seemed to glow as he took in his surroundings.  
  
"Awe, how I love the full moon." Irus said looking up with a snarl.  
  
"Yeah, it's nice isn't it?"   
  
The demon was surprised by the voice as he turned to his left before looking at the man with a snarl with his mouth opened, showing his sharp, shark like teeth.  
  
"I mean it glows and everything." Reed said looking up at the moon before looking at the demon.  
  
"Who the hell are you!" Irus asked.  
  
"Name's Reed. I'm sorry we don't have more time to get acquainted, but you see the slayer will be coming around that corner soon and she isn't supposed to see me."   
  
At the mention of the slayer Irus looked to his right, which was all the time Reed needed as he made his move bringing a solid punch straight to the demon's stomach making Irus kneel down in agony just as Reed brought his foot up and kicked the demon in the face, sending him into the air as he landed on the ground a few feet away.  
  
When Irus got back to his feet the only thing he saw was a blade coming straight for his neck as it went clean through. His head fell to the ground just before the whole body disappeared in thin air, along with the head.  
  
"And they say there's only one way to kill a Cytropyse demon." Reed said as he catches his long bladed boomerang just as the portal that the demon had came through disappeared.  
  
At that moment Reed feels Buffy near as he hides in the bushes while she approaches. He watches as she comes into view.  
  
Buffy looks around with a feeling that she's being watched. She takes a step forward just as a vampire comes out of nowhere and attacks her. She side steps the vamp as she trips him to the ground with her foot. When he gets up and charges her with a wild punch she grabs hold of the vamp's arm and with her free hand reaches into her jacket, whipping out a stake and jabbing it into the vamp's chest as he turns to dust. She dusts herself of and takes one last look around the park before she continues down the street to the Bronze.  
  
After a minute, Reed stands up just as a blue portal appears from behind him. He watches Buffy until she goes around the corner before turning and stepping into the light.  
  
........  
  
  
As Reed cames out the other side he is met by two almost green looking beings. One female and the other male.  
  
"You have done well. Perhaps, there is hope for your species after all." the female says.  
  
"I'm so glad you care."   
  
Reed's comment catches the attention of them, "You do not approve?" The male says.  
  
"No."  
  
"It was what was needed to be done. She fulfilled her destiny, just as you did." the female says as the male continues, "The slayer is just a tool in the balance of good and evil, just as you are."  
  
"You made her forget. Is that my fate as well?" Reed asked.  
  
"No. You will retain your memory."  
  
"Well, then why let me retain my memory and not her?"   
  
"Because, if she were to regain her knowledge of the other world it could influence the balance of her future." the female says before continuing, "Perhaps even yours."  
  
"It was necessary to block her memory in order for us to keep both realities in order." the male said.  
  
"So, now your through with us and it's just back to normal." Reed said taking a step forward as he continued, "We're not some *tool* that you can just use whenever you want!" Reed said.  
  
"The slayer has completed her duty to us. We will not call upon her again." the female said as the male continued, "But, your journey has just began. Until we meet again Reed Lavelle Harris."  
  
Reed crinched at his whole name being called. {I knew I forgot something! I should've woke Buffy up so...} Reed thought just as a bright light blinded his eyes.  
  
The next thing Reed knows he's back in Wrigley Field. He looks around as he sees that he is standing outside one of the restrooms in the stadium. Just as Reed gets his bearings he hears the announcer come over the speaker. ["Once again, the final score is Dodgers twelve, Cubs zero."]  
  
"The least you could've done is put me where the Cubs actually win a game." Reed says outloud as people walk by and look at him as if he were crazy.  
==============================================================  
  
The End 


End file.
